Mumbai: Bhavesh Bhinde, director of Ego Media which erected the hoarding in Ghatkopar that killed 17 people and injured over 70 has filed a writ petition in Bombay high court, seeking that the FIR against him be quashed.
Bhinde, who is in judicial custody, has said that his arrest was unlawful and has sought both bail and also the dismissal of the FIR against him.Bhinde has stated that that the hoarding, which collapsed on May 13, was legal and he had obtained all necessary approvals.
Advocate Rizwan Merchant who represented Bhinde, said the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, was incorrectly applied. BMC had no jurisdiction over the hoarding, rendering the FIR unfounded and driven by political pressure following the collapse.
In his petition, Bhinde has said that the construction and placement of the hoarding had been authorised by Government Railway Police (GRP) and accompanied by necessary ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NOCs).
He claimed that legal opinions from a retired Bombay high court judge, a law firm, and GRP’s legal officer had indicated no requirement for additional permissions from BMC.
Bhinde stated that he was not a director of Ego Media at the time of the hoarding’s construction; Janhavi Marathe held the position, and he only assumed the role on Dec 21, 2023.
Bhinde attributed the collapse to an Act of God. He cited an Indian Meteorological Department bulletin issued on May 12, which he has pointed out had failed to predict the severe dust storms with gusty winds that hit Mumbai the following day. Bhinde contended that the unexpected and unprecedented wind speeds of up to 96 kmph caused the hoarding’s collapse, an event for which neither he nor Ego Media Pvt Ltd could be held accountable.

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