Mumbai’s Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Hoarding proprietor paid Rs 1 crore for approval | Mumbai Information

The hoarding collapsed in Ghatkopar on Could 13, killing 17 folks

MUMBAI: Investigations have confirmed that Govandi businessman Arshad Khan, an accused within the Could 13 Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case, had been paid Rs 1 crore by Ego Media Pvt Ltd to get the billboard permitted, the Particular Investigation Crew (SIT) knowledgeable the classes court docket listening to Khan’s pre-arrest bail plea on Thursday. The court docket has reserved its order for Aug 12, at the same time as a lookout round has been issued towards Khan.
SIT additionally talked about {that a} probe is on into Khan’s enterprise enterprise, Mahapara Lucknowi Clothes, during which suspended IPS officer Quaiser Khalid’s spouse Sumanna is a accomplice.
Ego Media had erected the 140×140 sq ft hoarding on GRP land in Ghatkopar which collapsed on account of sturdy winds on Could 13, killing 17 folks. Police have to date arrested Ego Media Pvt Ltd director Bhavesh Bhinde, former director Janhvi Marathe, structural engineer Manoj Sanghu and civil contractor Sagar Kumbhar within the case.
Final week, Khan, who’s now absconding, had moved classes court docket via his lawyer Ranjit Patil in search of anticipatory bail.
SIT claimed that Khan had taken greater than Rs 1 crore from Bhinde and Marathe. SIT stated they want Khan’s custodial interrogation as they’ve prima facie proof to indicate his involvement within the erection of the hoarding with the co-accused. It has additionally transpired that Khan was in fixed contact with Bhinde, and therefore she shouldn’t be granted anticipatory bail, SIT urged the court docket.The police report additional stated that scrutiny of financial institution statements of Ego Media and Gujju Advs – the agency’s former title – confirmed that Khan had obtained Rs 84 lakh between July 2021 and Dec 2023. “The cash was transferred into 18 totally different financial institution accounts and the account holders withdrew it and gave it to Khan. The account holders have given statements that they don’t have anything to do with Ego Media or Gujju Advs. Nevertheless, it has transpired that every one these account holders are identified to Khan, who resides within the neighborhood,” stated the SIT report, including that preliminary enquiries with Khan had not yielded any passable solutions.
A number of the cash was additionally transferred to Khan’s two kinfolk, who too didn’t give justifications on this regard, stated SIT. Khan, in his earlier questioning, had stated he equipped branded items and spectacles to Bhinde and obtained the cash for it. The report additional acknowledged that police had summoned Khan once more on July 21 and July 22, however he didn’t flip up. His spouse Nazma instructed police that he was unwell and was out of city for remedy.