The Mumbai Police’s crime branch apprehended Bhavesh Bhinde, the head of Ego Media Pvt Ltd, the advertising firm that put up the giant billboard that collapsed on May 13 claiming 16 lives, in Ghatkopar area in Mumbai.
Bhinde was arrested in Udaipur, Rajasthan, where he had fled following the collapse of the billboard.
Notably, Bhinde, the owner of the collapsed billboard, has a troubled legal history, having been accused of rape and fined numerous times for erecting illegal hoardings. Despite facing charges under Section 376 of the IPC earlier this year, he secured anticipatory bail. Subsequently, Bhinde and others were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the fatal incident at Pant Nagar police station.
Mumbai Police’s extensive efforts, involving over 10 teams dispatched to various locations including Gujarat and airports, led to Bhinde’s arrest. Investigations revealed that Bhinde’s agency had operated without proper permits from the BMC, with the hoarding significantly exceeding the permissible size.
BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani announced the conclusion of the search operation, following three days of intense efforts to recover victims and clear the site. Among the recovered bodies were those of a retired Air Traffic Control (ATC) general manager and his spouse, found trapped in a car beneath the fallen structure.
This tragedy resulted in 16 fatalities and 75 injuries, occurred amid a sudden dust storm in Mumbai.