Prime accused in Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, Bhavesh Bhinde, granted bail

A Mumbai court has granted bail to Bhavesh Bhinde, the director of Ego Media, the prime accused in the collapse of a massive hoarding in Ghatkopar, which claimed 17 lives in May this year. Additional Sessions Judge V M Pathade approved Bhinde's bail plea on Saturday, amidst allegations that the incident was the result of negligence on the part of his firm.

On May 13, a 120x120-foot hoarding collapsed onto a petrol pump in Chheda Nagar, Ghatkopar, following a dust storm and unseasonal rains. The structure, which reportedly weighed 250 tonnes, caused the deaths of 17 people and injured 75 others. 

Bhinde, who has been booked on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, was granted bail after his lawyer, Sana Khan, argued that the collapse was an ‘act of God’ caused by ‘unexpected, unusual wind speed.’ Khan also contended that Bhinde was being falsely implicated due to ‘political vendetta’ and was not the director of Ego Media when the hoarding was initially installed.

The prosecution, however, opposed Bhinde's bail, presenting evidence that he was actively involved in the case. They argued that the hoarding, which had been erected on Government Railway Police (GRP) land without permission, was illegal and posed a significant safety risk.

Following the tragedy, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched an audit of all billboards across Mumbai, targeting the removal of illegal structures. Notices were also issued to the Central Railway and Western Railway administrations, calling for the dismantling of oversized hoardings erected on their land. 

Bhinde, who already faces more than 20 previous cases, remains at the centre of the controversy as authorities and industry leaders call for stronger regulations to prevent such incidents in the future.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also paused its controversial outdoor advertising policy amid significant opposition from outdoor media owners, following directives from the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde. The policy, which was open for public feedback, faced criticism due to proposed restrictions such as size caps on hoardings, prohibitions on various installation locations, and a clause preventing the renewal of licenses for existing structures. Media owners argued that the policy, introduced without legislative approval from the BMC's suspended body, unfairly penalises the entire industry for the Ghatkopar hoarding tragedy that resulted in 17 deaths, asserting that no legal hoarding has ever caused such incidents.