Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Mumbai crime branch summons chief BMC officer

Pic/Sameer Markande

The Mumbai Crime Branch has summoned Gajanan Bellale, the chief BMC officer of the area of Ghatkopar East, in connection with the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse in Maharashtra, reported news agency ANI.

Seventeen people died and 74 were left injured in the incident that happened on May 13 amid strong winds and heavy rains in Mumbai.

The crime branch has asked Bellale to appear for questioning today.

Earlier on May 31, the Mumbai Sessions Court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea filed by Jhanvi Marathe, former director of Ego Media, in connection with the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse in Maharashtra, reported ANI.

Marathe, who has been declared 'absconding' by the Mumbai Crime Branch, moved the court to secure relief from arrest in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case. The bail plea was opposed in court by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, reported ANI.

The officials told the court that the paperwork for the collapsed hoarding was done during Marathe's tenure (2020 to December 2023), before the current director, Bhavesh Bhide, took charge.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Crime Branch has recorded the statements of 20 people in connection with the case so far, reported ANI.

Earlier, the Mumbai Crime Branch made a second arrest in connection with the case. Manoj Ramkrishna Sanghu (47), who is on the BMC-approved engineer's list, was arrested for approving the structural stability certificate on April 24, 2023. Sanghu allegedly provided the structural stability certificate to EGO Media Private LTD for the collapsed hoarding, reported ANI.

Bhavesh Bhide, director of Ego Media, was arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch from Udaipur in Rajasthan last week and brought to Mumbai. The officials added that police are investigating how Bhide was awarded the hoarding contract and how much he earned, reported ANI.

Mumbai Police registered a case under IPC sections 304, 338, 337, and 34 against Bhavesh Bhide and others at Pantnagar police station. Following the incident, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner stated that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had ordered all hoardings to be checked.

(With inputs from ANI)