Thane, April 1: In a high-stakes operation, the Thane Crime Branch (Unit-3, Kalyan) has arrested a notorious 55-year-old history-sheeter and social media personality, Surendra Pandurang Patil, following the discovery of a massive arsenal of illegal weapons and counterfeit currency hidden in his luxury residence.

Acting on a confidential tip-off, a team led by Assistant Police Inspector Sarjerao Patil conducted a strategic raid at Patil’s residence, Ekvira Bungalow, located in the Shri Dhanlakshmi Apartment complex in Dawdi, Dombivli (East).

The search revealed a sophisticated, secret compartment built into a wardrobe within a hidden bedroom, accessible through a concealed entry behind a shoe rack on the fifth-floor terrace. From this “mini-armory,” police recovered:

Firearms: 3 country-made pistols, 1 sixer revolver, and 2 air guns.
Ammunition: 405 live cartridges, 167 lead pellets, and 1 empty magazine.
Bladed Weapons: 2 sharp iron swords, 3 iron choppers (koytas), 1 sharp dagger, and 1 button knife.

Other Items: 2 iron rods, 2 mobile phones, and ₹3,52,000 in counterfeit Indian currency (both old and new denominations). The total value of the seized assets is estimated at approximately ₹12,21,000.

Surendra Pandurang Patil, a construction businessman by profession, has gained notoriety as an Instagram “Reel Star.” However, his digital fame masks a long-standing criminal history.

According to police records, Patil is a habitual offender with over a dozen cases registered against him at various stations, including Manpada, Kolshewadi, Dombivli, and Mahatma Phule Chowk.

His extensive criminal record includes charges for:
Attempted murder and grievous assault.
Arms Act violations.
Cheating, criminal intimidation, and trespassing.
Violations under the Maharashtra Police Act.

Mumbai: In a historic development, Ashwini Bhide has been appointed as the first woman Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in the 160-plus-year history of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Following her appointment, political leaders across party lines took to X (formerly Twitter) to extend their congratulations and express optimism about her tenure at the helm of the civic body.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis congratulated Bhide, highlighting the historic nature of her appointment. He noted that this marks the first time in the BMC’s long history that a woman has been appointed to the top administrative post. He also conveyed his best wishes, expressing confidence in her leadership for the city’s governance and development.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde also lauded the appointment, describing it as a step towards capable and visionary leadership for the metropolis. Speaking about the felicitation ceremony held in honour of Bhide, which was attended by Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, Tawde emphasised Bhide’s extensive administrative experience, disciplined work approach, and strong decision-making abilities. She expressed confidence that Bhide’s leadership would provide a new direction to Mumbai’s governance and accelerate the city’s development.

Tawde further underscored the need for transparent, citizen-centric administration in a global city like Mumbai. She said that under Bhide’s stewardship, key sectors such as infrastructure, cleanliness, transportation, and overall quality of life for citizens are expected to witness positive transformation. She also called for collective efforts to meet the expectations of Mumbaikars and to build a cleaner, more modern city.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also extended her wishes, noting the symbolic significance of the appointment. In her post, she remarked that Bhide’s elevation breaks a long-standing barrier in the civic body’s history. She further pointed out that Mumbai now has women occupying key leadership roles, including the Municipal Commissioner, the Mayor, and the Leader of Opposition, all of whom have demonstrated their capabilities in public life.

Bhide’s appointment has thus been widely welcomed, with leaders expressing hope that her tenure will usher in a new phase of efficient and inclusive urban governance for Mumbai.

Mumbai: The Tax Assessment and Collection Department of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation has achieved a record-breaking performance in terms of property tax collection this year. Breaking all previous records of property tax collection, the Municipal Corporation has collected property tax of Rs 7,610.90 crore against the revised target of Rs 7,341 crore set for the financial year 2025-26. It has also set a new record by collecting revenue of Rs 399.74 crore in a single day on March 31, 2026.

Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has heartily appreciated the officers and employees of the Tax Assessment and Collection Department for this remarkable achievement and appreciated their work. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation provides various civic services and amenities to the citizens of Mumbai. Adequate financial resources are required to enhance the quality of these services and ensure their effective implementation. In this regard, property tax is a very important, stable and reliable source of revenue. In this context, under the guidance of Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Ashwini Joshi, and under the supervision of Joint Commissioner (Tax Assessment and Collection) Mr. Vishwas Shankarwar and Tax Assessor and Collector Mr. Gajanan Belle, the Tax Assessment and Collection Department has made extensive efforts for the collection of property tax. Even after the success of the extensive and responsible work of the Municipal Corporation General Elections, all the officers and employees of the Taxation and Collection Department have worked with exceptional dedication, consistency and above and beyond expectations for the collection of property tax. This is indeed a special and highly commendable matter. Widespread awareness was created among the citizens for timely payment of property tax. To facilitate the payment of tax, the Citizen Facilitation Centres were kept open on public holidays as well as weekends and online payment facilities were provided. Along with this, effective follow-up was done for the collection of past dues, paying special attention to the big defaulters. All these measures have made the collection of property tax more efficient and faster. The Municipal Corporation had set a revised target of property tax collection of Rs. 7,341 crore for the financial year 2025-26. With the efforts of the officers and employees of the Tax Assessment and Collection Department and the cooperation of the citizens of Mumbai, the Municipal Corporation collected property tax worth Rs. 7,610 crore 90 lakh for the financial year 2025-26 from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2016, which is 20163% of the total target. Along with this, Rs 301.13 crore has also been collected as additional fines. Considering the performance of the administrative division, during the financial year from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, K East (Rs 719.23 crore), G South (Rs 670.64 crore), K West (Rs 622.16 crore), H East (Rs 577.16 crore) and West (Rs 577.7 crore) have collected Rs 57.8 crore. The highest collection of property tax was recorded.

*Property Tax Collected by Administrative Division in the Financial Year 2025-26

City Division
1) A Division – Rs. 270.7 crore
2) B Division – Rs. 473.1 crore
3) C Division – Rs. 901.4 crore
4) D Division – Rs. 299.53 crore
5) E Division – Rs. 150.8 crore
6) F South Division – Rs. 165.9 crore
7) F North Division – Rs. 157.76 crore
8) G South Division – Rs. 670.64 crore
9) G North Division – Rs. 251.17 crore
Total Tax Collected – Rs. 2,102.6 crore

Western Suburbs
1) H East Division – Rs. 572.78 crore
2) H West Division – Rs. 536.55 crore
3) K East Division – Rs 719.23 crore
4) K-West Division – Rs 622.16 crore
5) P-South Division – Rs 372.23 crore
6) P-North Division – Rs 277.22 crore
7) R-South Division – Rs 288.81 crore
8) R-Central Division – Rs 294.94 crore
9) R-North Division – Rs 97.41 crore
Total tax collected – Rs 3,721.33 crore
Eastern Suburbs
1) L Division – Rs 304.57 crore
2) M-East Division – Rs 113.93 crore
3) M-West Division – Rs 184.70 crore
4) N Division – Rs 242.30 crore
5) S Division – Rs 398.47 crore
6) T Division – Rs 213.44 crore Total tax collected – Rs. 1,457 crore 41 lakh