Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Human rights panel comes down heavily on home dept for not responding to summons

Soon after the hoarding collapse incident, based on a complaint by advocate Amit Dubey ,the MSHRC issued summons to the home department, police, Government Railway Police (GRP) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to appear before them on June 6.

While others were present, there was no representative or report submitted by the home department which drew the ire of the human rights body.

The order read, “It is rather shocking to note that despite issuance of notice/summons to the..Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, none appeared on its behalf nor report is submitted. Such apathy is strongly deprecated as it amounts to disobedience of our orders / directions.”

It went on to add, “Therefore, Spl. Inspector General of Police Investigation Wing of this Commission is directed to call explanation from the respondents why action should not be taken against them under Section 166A of the Indian Penal Code to seek explanation from Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department as to why action should not be taken against him for non-compliance of the order dated 16.05.2024.”

The order further mentions that the report submitted by the GRP while on one hand says that the DGP had given permission for the petrol pump but later says permission was not given. “Pertinent to note that on going through the contents of the report.. it is revealed that the particular parcel of land, bearing No. 194A/6 is owned by Home Department Police Headquarters while property bearing No. 194A/7 is owned by Police Housing Welfare Corporation and necessary permission for petrol pump etc. came to be accorded by Director General of Police vide order dated 30.01.2020,” said the court order.

“At the same time…it is stated that permission for placing the hoarding, moved by the concerned Qicom Brand Solution Ltd, was moved to Commissioner of Police Railways, and which in fact came to be rejected and the same came to be allotted one Ego Media Pvt. Ltd by the then Commissioner of Police (Railways),” said the court.

“Apparently, a bare reading of these paragraphs create more confusion than clarity as to who is to be held responsible for according permission for installing the hoarding in question,” the order mentioned. It added, ” Dy. Commissioner of Police Mr. Patil has undertaken to submit a detailed comprehensive affidavit with proper clarifications supported with copies of the authentic documents by the next date.”

So far, the Special Investigation Team probing the case has arrested four people, including the director of the hoarding company Bhavesh Bhinde.