Probe panel flags ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Ghatkopar hoarding collapse | Mumbai News
3 min readMumbaiMar 25, 2026 12:29 AM IST
The report by the committee that probed the 2024 Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, tabled in the state legislature on Tuesday, has pointed to a “criminal conspiracy” and regulatory lapses, calling for action against police, civic officials, advertisers and engineers.
According to the report by the panel headed by former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale, the sequence of events pointed to collusion between private parties and officials to bypass Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) rules. It called for registration of FIRs, prosecution of those involved, and recovery of costs from offenders.
The report submitted to the Maharashtra Government in September last year had identified suspended IPS officer Quaiser Khalid, BMC official Sunil Dalvi, Ego Media directors Bhavesh Bhinde and Janhavi Marathe, and businessman Mohammed Arshad Khan as key conspirators in a chain of illegal approvals and lapses leading to the tragedy.
On May 13, 2024, a massive hoarding – measuring 120 feet in width, 140 feet in length and 180 feet in height — collapsed on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar, killing 17 people and injuring over 80.
The inquiry committee was set up on June 10, 2024, to examine all aspects of the incident.
The report identified alleged involvement of police and municipal officials in facilitating illegal hoardings and said those failing to act against violations must face legal and departmental proceedings. It stressed that police are duty-bound to register FIRs under the Defacement Act upon detecting such violations.
Recommending stringent enforcement, the panel said that offenders, including advertising agencies, must face criminal prosecution, heavy fines and immediate removal of unlawful structures, with costs recovered from them.
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It also flagged accountability of structural engineers, stating that those issuing false or defective stability certificates should be suspended and blacklisted for three to five years.
The committee further proposed holding beneficiaries of illegal hoardings, including political figures featured on such displays, primarily liable, with provisions for fines and prosecution under relevant laws.
Pointing to systemic lapses, the report said the collapse was “essentially the result of failure to properly enforce existing regulations,” noting that the hoarding exceeded permissible size limits by more than three times despite clear BMC norms and had been erected without proper permissions, structural approvals or safety checks.
Earlier, findings had also highlighted how land ownership was misrepresented to bypass municipal rules, enabling illegal expansion of hoardings, while mandatory design approvals and stability certifications were ignored.
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Citing past directions of the Bombay High Court, the panel urged strict compliance with judicial mandates on outdoor advertising regulation and enforcement.
To plug regulatory gaps, it recommended creation of a nodal agency to ensure uniform rules and coordinated action among the BMC, Railways and police, preventing offenders from exploiting jurisdictional overlaps.
The report also called for periodic structural audits of hoardings, especially in high-traffic and coastal areas, along with stricter norms on size, height, spacing and prohibition in sensitive zones.
Emphasising urgency, the committee said swift removal of illegal or unsafe hoardings and consistent enforcement were critical to prevent recurrence of such incidents and restore public confidence.
