Mumbai Police has submitted a detailed report to the Maharashtra Home Department regarding the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case. The report points to criminal misconduct by suspended IPS officer and former GRP Commissioner Quaiser Khalid. Sources reveal that the Crime Branch has recommended an investigation under Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act). The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is likely to take over the probe, but it will require prior approval from the Home Department under Section 17A of the PC Act.
According to highly placed sources, Mumbai Police’s report highlights irregularities in the tendering process of the hoarding, which eventually led to the accident. It was found that the land where the hoarding was installed was falsely claimed to be under the Railway Department’s jurisdiction. This misinformation not only misled authorities but also resulted in financial losses for both the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The report further reveals that Qaiser Khalid is alleged of illegally granting permission to Ego Media Pvt Ltd, a company owned by businessman Bhavesh Bhinde. The controversy deepened when Arshad Khan, a business associate of Khalid’s wife, was found to have received ₹84 lakh from Ego Media. However, investigators have yet to establish a direct financial link between Khalid and the transaction.
With the case gaining momentum, the next course of action will depend on the Home Department’s decision regarding the corruption probe.