Mumbai: IPS officer suspended over Ghatkopar hoarding collapse

The hoarding had collapsed on May 13, killing 17 people

Quaiser Khalid, a 1997 batch IPS officer, has been suspended by the state home department in connection with the May 13 Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which claimed 17 lives. The home department issued a detailed order stating that the suspension was initiated based on a report submitted by the director general of police on May 21. The report found gross irregularities and administrative lapses in sanctioning the hoarding during Khalid's tenure as commissioner of railway police, Mumbai.

The order states that the Maharashtra government has decided to "initiate disciplinary proceedings against Shri. Md. Quaiser Khalid, IPS (MH: 1997), Additional Director General of PCR, Maharashtra State the then CP, Railways, Mumbai in respect of administrative lapses and irregularities in sanctioning the hoarding, on his own, without approval of the DGP office and in respect of the misusage of powers by allowing massive hoarding size of 120x140 sq ft, deviating from the approved norms as pointed out in the report of Director General of Police, Maharashtra (sic)."

Quaiser Khalid, the former commissioner of railway police, Mumbai

Khalid has been suspended under the provision of All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The order issued by the home department also states, "During the suspension period, he shall remain in the force and shall be paid subsistence allowance, dearness allowance and other allowances as admissible under Rule 4 of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, on production of certificate that he is not engaged in any other employment, business, profession or vocation." The order also stated that, during the suspension period, "he shall remain in the DGP officer and should not leave the said headquarters without the permission of the DGP".

Internal probe

According to sources, the DGP office had been conducting an internal probe even before the hoarding collapse when they discovered that Khalid had approved Ego Media's hoardings on his last day in office, without obtaining permission from the DGP office and without issuing tenders. While the DGP office was investigating and had issued a show-cause notice to Khalid, the hoarding collapsed on May 13 due to rough weather. He is being investigated by the SIT of the Mumbai Crime Branch, and officials are likely to record his statement after completing all formalities. So far, he has not been summoned by the SIT.

Biz associate of senior cop's wife to be summoned

The crime branch will summon Arshad Khan - a business associate of Khalid's wife Summana - for the second time. So far, the investigation has revealed that Ego Media had transferred Rs 47 lakh to Khan. Khan and Summana Khalid are partners in Mahpara Garments, which was established in 2022.

"We suspect that the former director of Ego Media Janhavi Marathe had transferred Rs 47 lakh to Khan during her tenure," said a police officer on the condition of anonymity. "Prima facie, Summana has not received any money from Ego Media," said the officer.

Another officer said, "Since we have concrete evidence that Khan had received money, we will summon him again. He has no criminal records." During his first summon Arshad Khan had allegedly revealed that he had told Ego Media to issue cheques without mentioning the name of the recipients, and the cheques were allegedly deposited in 10 accounts. "We will scrutinise the financial transactions," said an officer.

- Apoorva Agashe