Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Engineer arrested for issuing stability certificate in billboard tragedy

Site of the hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar. File Pic/Atul Kamble

The Special Investigating Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a BMC-approved structural engineer for allegedly issuing a stability certificate to the Ghatkopar hoarding, which collapsed earlier this month, killing 17 people.

The SIT also reported that Janhavi Marathe, the former director of EGO Media Pvt Ltd, is also wanted in the case. During her tenure, the paperwork for the Ghatkopar hoarding was handled by EGO Media Pvt Ltd. Marathe has filed an anticipatory bail application before the sessions court.

The structural engineer, identified as Manoj Sanghu, 47, has been accused by the Crime Branch of issuing a stability certificate to EGO Media Pvt Ltd for the hoarding in Ghatkopar that collapsed on May 13, killing 17 people. The certificate, issued on April 24, 2023, was meant to cover a period of 2-3 years.

"The stability certificate was illegal and violated the law. The size mentioned in the certificate for the hoarding was not as per the mandate. Since he was a BMC-approved engineer, he was well aware of the regulations," a senior officer of the Mumbai Crime Branch said.

According to the SIT, Sanghu mentioned the size of the hoarding as 120 square feet by 140 square feet, whereas the BMC mandate specifies that the hoarding size should not exceed 40 square feet x 40 square feet. The SIT is also verifying other stability certificates issued by Sanghu to EGO Media Pvt Ltd.

Janhavi was the director of EGO Media since its inception in 2020 until December 2023, after which the prime accused, Bhavesh Bhinde, took over as director.
Bhinde was produced in court on Thursday and remanded in judicial custody.

What Nikam knew
The SIT, which recorded the statement of GRP ACP Shahji Nikam, found that he had informed his superiors about the hoarding space being outside railway jurisdiction. He also made remarks in the approval files, indicating his awareness of the illegal process, suggesting he was merely following orders. The SIT is verifying these remarks approved by the former GRP chief, Quaiser Khalid, allowing EGO Media to place illegal hoardings. The SIT plans to call the former top cop to record Khalid's statement.