Mumbai hoarding collapse: Accused Bhavesh Bhinde sent to police custody till May 26

Bhavesh Bhinde, ad agency owner in custody for Mumbai billboard collapse that killed 16, denied responsibility by lawyer.

Bhavesh Bhinde, an owner of the ad agency which was responsible for installing the billboard that collapsed and claimed 16 lives in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, was sent to police custody till May 26.

He was arrested in Udaipur, Rajasthan, on May 16 and brought to the city.

M/S Ego Media Pvt Ltd, his advertising firm, managed the giant hoarding that collapsed on a petrol pump during a dust storm on May 13. As Mr. Bhinde absconded after the incident, police registered a case against him for alleged ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code.

After his arrest, crime branch of Mumbai police produced Mr. Bhinde before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Esplanade court) K.S. Zanwar and sought his custody for 14 days. His agency managed three or four more hoardings, and a thorough investigation was needed in the matter, police said.

₹5 crore is required to manage one hoarding, and it needed to probe the financial aspects of Mr. Bhinde's business, besides finding out who gave the certificate for structural stability and permissions for installation, it said.

Advocate Rizwan Merchant, appearing for the accused, claimed that police did not tell Mr. Bhinde the grounds of his arrest which made the remand plea invalid.

Mr. Bhinde became director of the firm in December 2023 while the contract for the ill-fated hoarding was given to Ego Media in November 2022, hence he was not responsible for what happened at that point of time, the lawyer argued. The court, after hearing both the sides, sent the accused in police custody till May 26.