Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Bhavesh Bhinde's police custody extended till May 29

The collapsed hoarding in Ghatkopar. File Pic/Sameer Markande

A Mumbai court on Sunday extended the police custody of Bhavesh Bhinde, the prime accused in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case, reported the PTI.

Bhavesh Bhinde is director of the advertising firm which had installed a hoarding that collapsed in Ghatkopar area in Mumbai and claimed 17 lives.

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M/S Ego Media Pvt Ltd, the advertising firm of Bhavesh Bhinde, managed the giant hoarding that collapsed on a petrol pump during a dust storm and rains on May 13.

As Bhavesh Bhinde allegedly absconded after the incident, police registered a case against him on the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code.

He was arrested in Udaipur, Rajasthan, on May 16 and brought to the city.

Bhavesh Bhinde was subsequently remanded in police custody till May 26.

On Sunday, the crime branch, which is probing the case, produced Bhinde before the metropolitan magistrate court at the end of his previous custody, according to the PTI.

It sought his further remand on the ground that it is also inquiring into other hoardings installed by the firm across the city.

Also, the financial aspect concerning the installation of billboards was also under investigation, the police said.

Advocate Rizwan Merchant, appearing for the accused, opposed it saying the FIR is only concerning the collapsed hoarding.

After hearing both the sides, the court extended Bhavesh Bhinde's police custody till May 29.

As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), it had not granted permission for the hoarding.

Bhavesh Bhinde was fined multiple times before incident, says cops

Bhavesh Bhinde, arrested after the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, had been fined by the civic body multiple times in the past for violation of norms, police probe has found, an official had earlier said, reported the PTI.

Bhavesh Bhinde was the director of advertising agency Ego Media which had installed the giant illegal hoarding that crashed on a petrol pump in suburban Ghatkopar during a dust storm on May 13.

According to the PTI, the Mumbai Crime Branch, which is probing the case, found that the BMC had issued him multiple notices for putting up illegal hoardings or violating norms concerning their size and other parameters, and imposed fine on him, an official had earlier said.

(with PTI inputs)