Ego Media Pvt Ltd, an advertising firm owned by Bhavesh Bhinde, has not paid its fees since April 2024. This situation came to light following the collapse of a giant hoarding in Ghatkopar, which resulted in 17 fatalities and around 80 injuries. The details emerged from a Right to Information (RTI) request made by Anil Galgali.
According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), Ego Media Pvt Ltd owes Rs 21.94 lakh in unpaid dues from April 2024 until the Ghatkopar incident. Galgali requested information regarding the payments made by the company and the pending rent for hoardings in Ghatkopar and Dadar. After a month, the Mumbai Railway Police revealed that from June 2022 to March 2024, Ego Media Pvt Ltd had paid Rs 2,81,74,029, with a monthly rent of Rs 13,31,200.
However, the rent for March 2024 was only partially paid with two cheques of Rs 10 lakh each dated May 6 and 7, 2024, leaving an outstanding balance of Rs 3,31,200. Additionally, the fees for April 2024 remain unpaid, totaling Rs 21,94,880 overdue by the time of the incident on May 13.Furthermore, there are Rs 16 lakh in unpaid dues for the Dadar hoarding, with an outstanding amount of Rs 16,04,936 for the period from February 2024 to May 12, 2024. The monthly fee for the Dadar hoarding is Rs 5,29,100.Civic activist Anil Galgali has criticized the Mumbai Railway Police for their leniency towards Ego Media Pvt Ltd, particularly for not charging interest on the overdue payments.