The Crime Branch's special investigation team (SIT), investigating the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case, has summoned Mumbai Goverment Railway Police (GRP) ACP Shahaji Nikam for questioning on Tuesday. A police officer stated that the contract was awarded to EGO Media Private Ltd without any tender process. The Crime Branch wants to get information about the hoarding contract given to Ego Media Private Ltd Company.
A Crime Branch officer mentioned that the transfer order for the then Mumbai Railway Police Commissioner, Qaiser Khalid, was issued by the Maharashtra Home Ministry on December 17, 2022. Bhavesh Bhinde's company had applied for permission to put up the hoarding. After receiving the transfer order, Qaiser Khalid signed the file for granting the hoarding permission on Sunday, December 18, 2022, and the order was issued the next day, i.e., Monday. The new Commissioner of Railway Police, Dr. Ravindra Shisve, took charge on Monday. Crime Branch sources revealed that Khalid issued the orders in the first half and handed over the charge to Ravindra Shisve in the second half.
For further investigation into the hoarding permission process, the Crime Branch has asked the then Assistant Commissioner of the Railway Police Administration Department, Shahaji Nikam, to appear for questioning on Tuesday.
Also Read | Mumbai Hoarding Collapse: Bhavesh Bhinde Sent to Police Custody Till May 29.
Police revealed that the land on which the hoarding was installed does not belong to the railway but is land of the Maharashtra government's collectorate. The collector had given it to the Home Ministry, which then allocated it to the GRP Police. Permission from the Mumbai Municipal Corporation was necessary to put up the hoarding. However, the Crime Branch's investigation found that no permission was obtained from the municipal corporation.
The police stated that EGO Media Private Ltd was awarded the contract to install hoardings at four railway locations, three of which were tendered, but the contract for the location near Ghatkopar Petrol Pump was awarded without a tender. The Crime Branch has also written to the BMC, seeking to understand how such hoarding permissions are granted and how their structural audits are conducted.
On May 13, the collapse of a hoarding in Ghatkopar resulted in the death of 17 people. The contract to install this hoarding was awarded to Ego Media Private Limited. Permission was granted for an 80x80 feet hoarding, but a 120x120 feet hoarding was installed. On May 16, the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Bhinde from a resort in Udaipur, Rajasthan.