Hoarding collapse: Corruption charges added

The Mumbai Police on Monday revealed that they had recently added sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act for criminal misconduct by a government servant in the FIR

MUMBAI: The investigation into the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse has taken a turn, with corruption charges being added to the case. The outsized billboard was blown over in a dust storm, killing 17 and injuring over 70 in May last year.

The outsized billboard in Ghatkopar was blown over in a dust storm, killing 17 and injuring over 70 in May last year (PTI)

The Mumbai Police on Monday revealed that they had recently added sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act for criminal misconduct by a government servant in the First Information Report (FIR).

Apart from the five accused in the case, police are investigating the role of suspended IPS officer Qaiser Khalid, who had allowed outdoor advertising agency Ego Media to erect the hoarding, violating various regulations.

Khalid, with the Government Railway Police (GRP), has not been named in the chargesheet by the Mumbai Crime Branch. However, the GRP and Crime Branch had sought an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into the matter. The GRP had mentioned the lapses by Khalid, who had allowed Ego Media to erect the hoarding. He was issued a show cause notice but not named in the FIR.

“The ACB wrote back to us, saying that since the crime branch had probed the original case, they would be in a better position to prove criminal misconduct as well. Therefore, sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act were recently added to the original FIR,” said a police officer.

Police had earlier arrested Ego Media director Bhavesh Bhinde, former director Janhvi Marathe, structural engineer Manoj Sanghu, civil contractor Sagar Kumbhar, and businessman Arshad Khan. All five had been released on bail. Khan is an alleged business partner of Khalid’s wife.

Although the Crime Branch has not found a direct link to Khalid, it has alleged that Khan took ₹84 lakh from Bhinde and deposited the money in various bank accounts. Khan maintains he took the money as payment for services to Bhinde.

The crime branch states that Khalid’s alleged role had led to losses to the state exchequer and could constitute offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.