The Mumbai Police crime department, investigating the Could 2024 Ghatkopar hoarding collapse that claimed 17 lives, submitted a report back to the Maharashtra residence division final week, revealing potential prison misconduct by suspended IPS officer Qaiser Khalid. The report alleges that Khalid’s actions led to losses to the state exchequer and will represent offenses underneath the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
The crime department has really helpful that the case be transferred to the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), as they deal with circumstances underneath the Prevention of Corruption Act. To date, the crime department has arrested 5 individuals and filed expenses in opposition to 4 in reference to the collapse.
A authorities official mentioned the investigation uncovered that though the land on which the hoarding was erected belonged to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC), Khalid, who was the Authorities Railway Police (GRP) Commissioner on the time, allegedly instructed a legislation officer to change his report back to state that the land belonged to the Railways. This motion is alleged to have precipitated monetary losses to the state. Moreover, the Crime Department discovered that the tendering course of for the hoarding violated authorities laws.
The report particularly references Part 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which offers with prison misconduct by public servants. This part states {that a} public servant may be charged in the event that they dishonestly or fraudulently misappropriate property entrusted to them or deliberately enrich themselves illicitly whereas in workplace.
Whereas the Crime Department has not but instantly linked Khalid to a monetary path, the chargesheet notes that Arshad Khan, an accused within the case, took Rs 84 lakh from Bhavesh Bhinde, the proprietor of the unlawful hoarding that collapsed. Khan was additionally a associate in an organization the place Khalid’s spouse was a associate. Khan instructed police that he offered providers to Bhinde and was paid for them.
In response to the Crime Department, Khan had obtained cheques from Bhinde, which have been then deposited into numerous financial institution accounts earlier than being transformed into money.
To date, the crime department has formally not clarified what occurred to the money handed over to Arshad.
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Sources mentioned a call on the report despatched by them would both be taken by CM Devendra Fadnavis who can be the house minister or the extra chief secretary (residence). An official mentioned that underneath Part 17(A), an approval from the state authorities can be wanted to hold out a probe in opposition to a authorities servant underneath the PC Act.
“As soon as the federal government approves the identical, it could possibly hand it over to the ACB which can both start an enquiry on the details talked about within the report or register an offence in opposition to Khalid,” the supply mentioned.
Quickly after the case got here to mild, the Maharashtra authorities suspended IPS officer Khalid who has not but been reinstated. The federal government additionally shaped a judicial fee to probe the foundations flouted within the collapse.
By the way, Khalid had been summoned by the ACB on Wednesday in reference to a criticism given in opposition to him by an individual who claimed to have sponsored the officer’s lodge keep within the US to get a hoarding contract at Dadar. The company had begun the probe in opposition to the officer in July final 12 months. Khalid didn’t seem earlier than the company and sought extra time.
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