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Government Railway Police Commissioner Ravindra Shisve said on Saturday that his actions concerning the May 13 hoarding crash in Ghatkopar, which killed 17 people and injured 81, were legal.
In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal, Shisve accused his predecessor, Quaiser Khalid, of attempting to malign his name to protect himself.
Although Khalid had approved the tender for the hoarding, he told the Special Investigation Team probing the incident that Shisve neither acted on complaints about the illegal billboard’s huge size, nor checked its structural stability.
The GRP repeated ignored notices from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) regarding the hoarding, he said. The hoarding was erected at a BPCL petrol pump, on railway police land, on Eastern Express Highway.
According to these notices, when construction of the hoarding began, the BPCL had not received the occupancy certificate (OC) for the retail outlet or clearance from the BMC based on a site inspection. BPCL also mentioned that the digging for the hoarding by Ego Media violated Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation licence conditions.
Khalid, who was in office when the hoarding’s tender was processed, claimed he approved a 200-square-foot hoarding. However, it was erected at 120x140 feet, totalling 33,800 square feet, he told this newspaper. BPCL allegedly sent multiple notices, followed by a BMC letter, to the GRP, requesting the revocation of permission granted to Ego Media.
Shisve told the police that all formalities regarding the hoarding were handled by Khalid and that he reported truthfully. Speaking to FPJ, he said, “If I had reported wrongly to the DGP office, I would have faced consequences. This is an attempt to tarnish my reputation and clear Khalid’s name as he is now in trouble.”
“I have submitted everything to the Crime Branch, which has been investigating for the past two months. Their investigation shows Khalid’s role and how he benefited from the hoarding. This is his desperate attempt to clear his image,” he said.
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Shisve pointed to Khalid’s recent suspension by the government, saying, “A suspension for an IPS officer does not happen easily. The government must have gathered enough proof of his illegal actions. I believe the Crime Branch will handle the investigation properly, and the truth will prevail eventually.”
Highlight
Allegation of Rs46L bribe On Saturday, a BJP leader accused Quaiser Khalid of accepting Rs46 lakh from Bhavesh Bhinde, the primary accused in the case who is currently in judicial custody. According to the politician, Arshad Khan deposited the money into the bank account of Mahapara Garments Private Limited, a company established on June 20, 2022, by Khan and Sumna Quaiser Khalid, Khalid’s wife. The leader alleged that in exchange for a promised contract, Bhinde gave Khalid Rs37 lakh and sponsored a trip to America for Khalid’s family.
