A Mumbai court has granted bail to Bhavesh Bhinde, the director of an advertising firm and the prime accused in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case that claimed 17 lives in May this year. Additional Sessions Judge V M Pathade approved Bhinde's bail plea on Saturday.

Bhavesh Bhinde, represented by his lawyer Sana Khan, argued that the tragic hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar, which claimed 17 lives, was an "act of God" and that he had been implicated due to "political vendetta."

Further, the representative claimed that the hoarding fell as a result of "unexpected, unusual wind speed," and no negligence could be attributed to Bhinde or his firm, which had installed the structure.

The incident, which occurred on May 13 during sudden dusty winds and unseasonal rains, resulted in the death of 17 people, including a former general manager of Mumbai airport’s Air Traffic Control and his wife.

The hoarding collapsed onto a petrol pump, and during an investigation, it was alleged that the structure had been illegally erected on railway land.