Ghatkopar hoarding crash: Key accused on the run arrested from UP after six months

The Mumbai Crime Branch’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case, has arrested Arshad Khan, 43- a businessman from Uttar Pradesh. The accused was on the run since his anticipatory bail was rejected by the Bombay High Court in July.

Khan is alleged to be the business partner of the wife of Additional Director-General of Police- Quaiser Khalid, in connection with the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case. At least 17 people died and 74 were injured after a 140x120 hoarding in Ghatkopar East, erected by Ego Media, collapsed on May 14 this year during a short spell of rain coupled with gusty winds.

A police official privy to the development said, "We have arrested the accused from Lucknow and was produced in the court. He has been remanded to police custody till January 6."

The SIT had summoned Khan twice to record his statement, but he did not turn up. The SIT then approached the Esplanade court and in August, the court issued the non-bailable arrest warrant against him.

According to police, Ego Media’s former director Janhavi Marathe in her police statement said that Ego Media had issued several blank cheques to Khan in 2021 and 2022 after Quaisar Khalid, the then railway police commissioner, gave them the approval to install the hoardings along the Eastern Express Highway at Ghatkopar allegedly without calling for tenders.

The SIT team made four arrests in the case which include Bhavesh Bhinde, owner of Ego Media, Manoj Ramkrishna Sanghu, BMC-approved civil engineer, former director Janhavi Marathe and Sagar Kumbhar, the contractor who erected the hoardings.