Maharashtra government launches inquiry into Mumbai hoarding collapse; owner absconding

MUMBAI: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday ordered the high level inquiry into the collapse of a billboard at the Ghatkopar incident where 14 people were killed and 44 others were injured.

Police have filed a case under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (negligence and hurting), 337 (endangering human life), 34 (criminal act done by several person with common intention) against Bhavesh Bhinde at Pantnagar police station, Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Mr Bhinde is the owner of Ego Media. He has already different 20 police cases against him, which includes one rape case as well. After the incident, Bhinde is on the run and his cellphone is also switched off.

The weight of this illegal hoarding was 250 tonnes where over 100 people were trapped however local authorities rescued the 74 people.

Surprisingly, the hoarding which fell on the petrol station at Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar was a 120X120 sq ft structure, which exceeded the BMC’s permissible size of 40×40 sq ft. The hoarding had garnered recognition in the Limca Book of Records and was erected on railway land.

BMC officials removed all three such illegal hoardings of this said company. It said that this hoarding was erected without BMC permission.

BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani said that they ordered action against all illegal hoardings in the city. He said “In the Chheda Nagar hoarding case, a complaint was received that some trees had been cut so this hoarding could be visible. We have filed a case in this regard and an inquiry has been carried out and the guilty will be punished,” Gagrani said.

After this incident, the blame game started between the ruling party and Opposition. BJP tried to viral the picture of the owner with Uddhav Thackeray while Oppositions circulated his picture with the ruling party leaders. NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal defending Uddhav Thackeray said that the BMC is controlled by the state government while the railway is under central government, so why is Uddhav Thackeray targeted? who has not thing to do with this incident.

Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of Ego media firm that erected that illegal hoarding of Chheda Nagar has big influence in BMC and railway and isallegedly known for bagging several contracts by greasing the hand of the officers. He also contested the Maharashtra state election as an Independent candidate from the Mulund constituency in 2009 and, his election affidavit revealed his past criminal records and 23 cases registered against him under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act and the Negotiable Instruments Act (for bounced cheques).

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the people who were killed in the tragedy and has also said that the government will bear the cost of treatment for those who were injured.