Top Mumbai cop under scrutiny in Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case

MUMBAI: Tum ko

BMC

ki hoarding ka contract mila hai, BMC ki permission lene ke liye pahle wale CP sengoankar sahab ne kaha hai, aur agar BMC ki permission lenge to bada hoarding laga nahi sakte hain, Isliye yeh Bhartiya railway ki jagah batake hum BMC ki permision ke bina, hoarding ka kam kar sakte hain aur isme hum sab ka faida ho sakta hai. (You have got the contract for BMC’s hoardings.

The previous CP Sengoankar sahab has told you to take permission from BMC. And if we take permission from BMC, we cannot put up big hoardings. That is why by telling this about Indian Railways, we can do the work of hoardings without BMC’s permission and we all can benefit from this.) Bhavesh Bhinde the main accused told IPS officer Quaiser Khalid to get the illegal hoarding approved which latter approved states the chargesheet
In a shocking revelation, the charge sheet has unveiled a series of irregularities and lapses by Quaiser Khalid, an IPS officer under

investigation

for the Ghatkopar

hoarding collapse

that resulted in the death of 17 people and injuries to over 70. Khalid, who was suspended from service on June 25, allegedly granted illegal permissions for the hoardings without proper authorization, compromising public safety.
The charge sheet states that Bhinde assured khalid that this approach would allow them to erect larger hoardings without BMC interference, benefiting all parties involved.
The ACB is also probing Khalid after a businessman claimed to have paid him Rs 37 lakhs and covered his stay in US hotels.

Furthermore, Khalid recommended Bhinde obtain a legal opinion from APS law firm, which stated that the BMC had no jurisdiction over the railway land. This opinion, favoring the GRP, was funded by Ego Media.
Despite his defense, Khalid faces severe allegations. He maintains that he acted for the benefit of

police

welfare, citing prior permissions granted by the Director General for three hoardings. He argues that any illegality should have been addressed by his successor.

The collapse of a massive hoarding on May 13, which killed 17 and injured over 70, triggered a police investigation, later transferred to the Crime Branch. Due to the involvement of multiple departments, the government established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
The SIT’s 3,299-page charge sheet, submitted to the 37th Metropolitan Magistrate court, includes testimonies from 102 witnesses, among them BMC and GRP staff, masons, architects, and agency reports. Charges were filed under IPC sections 304(2), 338, 337, 427, and 120-B (Conspiracy), with ongoing investigations under CRPC 178(3) to identify other culpable individuals.
The findings implicate Ego Media directors Bhavesh Bhinde, Janhvi Marathe (alias Ketan Sonalkar), Architect Manoj Sanghu, and Civil Contractor Sagar Kumbhar in a conspiracy to mislead authorities about land ownership and expand hoarding sizes without necessary approvals. Their negligence led to the fatal collapse, as they ignored requirements for structural audits, stability certificates, and soil tests, opting for cost-cutting measures and using local contractors instead.
The Indian Railways clarified that the land in question did not belong to them. Out of four hoardings, three were legitimately contracted to Ego Media, but the fourth was illicitly approved by Khalid without a tender. Notably, Khalid approved this on December 17, a Sunday, after his transfer order on December 16, highlighting a breach of protocol.
In efforts to extend the contract, Bhinde and Marathe approached Khalid, who facilitated an extension from 10 to 30 years, citing alleged financial losses of ₹5 crores. Inspector Shahji Nikam, Khalid’s orderly, provided testimony against him, and bank statements revealed financial transactions from Ego Media to personal accounts and associates.
The ongoing investigation continues to unearth layers of corruption and negligence, promising further accountability for those responsible for the tragedy.

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