Ghatkopar hoarding case: Two commissioners figure in the SIT charge sheet

The site of the hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar East on May 16. Pic/Atul Kamble

Suspended IPS officer, Quaiser Khalid, a former Government Railway Police (GRP) commissioner, and his successor Ravindra Shisve, the current commissioner, have had their statements recorded before the SIT of the Mumbai Crime Branch in connection with the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which claimed 17 lives and left several injured. Khalid stated that he allowed the hoarding only for the welfare of the police and he didn't do anything illegal.

However, he did not provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the illegality involved in allowing the hoarding.

He shifted the responsibility to Shisve, saying that what happened after he handed over the charge was the current commissioner's responsibility.

Government Railway Police Commissioner Ravindra Shisve; (right) Shisve's predecessor Quaiser Khalid, who has been suspended

According to sources, Shisve's statement was recorded for not addressing the complaints about the illegality in Ghatkopar hoarding made to him after he took over the charge as GRP commissioner. The SIT revealed these details in a 3,299-page charge sheet submitted on Friday before the 37th Esplanade court in Mumbai.

The charge sheet has been submitted against the four arrested accused in the case: Bhavesh Bhinde, director and owner of Ego Media; Manoj Ramkrishna Sanghu, a BMC-approved structural engineer; and Jhanvi Marathe, former director of Ego Media and her associate Sagar Patil who didn't ensure the foundation was deep and strong enough to support the 140x120-foot hoarding.

According to the charge sheet, the investigation will continue under Section 173(8) of the CrPC to further ascertain the roles of the GRP and BMC officials. The charge sheet also includes the statements of two BMC officials and six GRP officials, including Shisve. The chargesheet also highlights the conversation between Khalid and Bhinde.

Bhavesh Bhinde, who is named in the charge sheet

Allegations against Khalid

According to the SIT, Khalid allowed the hoarding without any tender and without getting permission from the director general of police's (DGP) office, which is mandatory. Despite knowing that the office had already rejected the proposal for a hoarding in Ghatkopar in January 2021 due to jurisdictional and legal errors, he went ahead and approved it on his last day in office, December 18, 2022. His transfer order came on December 16, and he handed over the charge to Shisve on the afternoon of December 18 after signing the papers, allowing the hoarding, which violates the 80x80 limit on hoardings in Mumbai.

The DGP office was unaware that Khalid had granted the permission. It was Shisve who took over as GRP commissioner and later sent a proposal to regularise the illegal hoarding. However, the DGP office took strong cognisance and initiated an internal probe against Khalid for allowing the hoarding despite the DGP's office's refusal. While the office was conducting its probe, the hoarding collapsed on May 13 this year.

The DGP office asked the Railway DGP to submit a report. The DGP office also conducted its own inquiry and recommended to the home department that Khalid be suspended after finding gross irregularities and administrative lapses in sanctioning the hoarding. The department suspended Khalid on June 25 based on the report.

What Khalid said

According to the SIT, Khalid's response was unsatisfactory regarding the irregularities and failure to follow proper procedures before sanctioning the hoarding contracts to Ego Media. Khalid claimed he had not done anything illegal and that his actions were taken for the benefit of the Police Welfare Fund. When asked why a tender was not issued and the DGP's permission was not sought, he stated that since the DGP office had allowed three similar hoardings to Ego Media, he proceeded in the same manner. However, when questioned by the SIT about the irregularities, particularly given that the land belongs to the state government and the BMC is the licensing authority, Khalid did not provide a satisfactory response.

According to sources, officials recorded the statement of Shisve for not acting on a complaint made by the former corporator of Ghatkopar regarding irregularities in the hoarding case. He was also questioned about the proposal he sent to the DGP office to regularise the illegal hoarding sanctioned by Khalid. The officials did not disclose what Shisve said in his statement, as they continue their probe to ascertain the roles of government officials, determining whether there was criminal or administrative negligence. The SIT has cited 102 witnesses, six GRP staffers and two BMC workers as well as 90 statements of those injured and the relatives of the deceased in its charge sheet.

Why did hoarding collapse?

According to the charge sheet, the structural design and fitness certificate were manipulated. Bhinde misled Railways and obtained permission for larger hoardings that lacked the necessary strength to support a 140x120 feet structure. Despite being aware of this, the accused, in collusion with other conspirators including the designer and structural engineer, provided falsified reports to make money, leading to the collapse of the hoarding on May 13.

The charge sheet relies on an audit report submitted by Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute. It states that the foundation of the hoarding structure could withstand winds of up to 49.7 km/h. However, on May 13, the hoarding was subjected to winds with a speed of 87 km/h, which exceeded its capacity. As per the mandate, all structures in Mumbai should be designed to withstand wind speeds of 158.4 km/h. "The collapse of the structure is due to inadequate/deficient design and construction of the foundation," reads the charge sheet.

June 25
Day Khalid was suspended