India, June 24 -- The Bombay high court has ordered Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to consider initiating departmental and criminal proceedings against the assistant commissioner of Diva division after a petitioner alleged before the court that he was protecting illegal constructions by charging Rs.200 per square feet from builders who were putting up brazenly unauthorised structures in Mumbra and Diva divisions.

The division bench of justice GS Kulkarni and justice Arif Doctor has also directed the Thane civic chief to submit a report in three weeks, disclosing action taken against the assistant commissioner, Faruk Shaikh.

The judges passed the order after noticing allegations made by a petitioner, Feroz Badruddin Khan, who has file...