In a major security breach in Mumbai’s high-profile Bandra area, police have booked officials of a Delhi-based marketing company for allegedly flying around 200 to 250 drones without mandatory permissions during a large-scale video shoot in Bandra West.
The operation, conducted in alleged violation of prohibitory orders issued by the Mumbai Police Commissioner, came to light after Bandra Police received a tip-off about a drone show being held at the Wings Sports Club Ground.
According to police sources, Assistant Police Inspector Jagtap received information on the night of May 28 that hundreds of drones were being flown simultaneously for video filming at the ground. A team from the Bandra Police Station’s detection unit, along with officers from the local mobile patrol unit, rushed to the spot and found a large number of drones operating in the airspace.
Police immediately halted the activity and detained the person supervising the operation. The individual was identified as Gopal Narayan Singh (45), a resident of Sangam Vihar in South Delhi and a manager with Boldson Marketing Private Limited.
During questioning, Singh told investigators that the drone operation was being carried out for the filming of a company advertisement.
However, when asked to produce permissions required for operating drones within Mumbai’s jurisdiction, he allegedly failed to provide any valid authorization from the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office or other concerned authorities.
The investigation also revealed the involvement of another company official, Sunil Gupta, who was reportedly responsible for obtaining permissions and coordinating regulatory approvals for the event. Police suspect that the drone show and video shoot were commenced without securing the necessary clearances.
During the raid, police seized several advanced camera-equipped drones, each estimated to be worth around ₹80,000, along with a laptop used to control the drone fleet and the complete operating equipment.
Officials said flying drones without prior approval is strictly prohibited within the Mumbai Commissionerate limits due to security concerns and the potential threat of misuse. The unauthorized operation of hundreds of drones in a densely populated urban area raised serious concerns about public safety and compliance with aviation and law enforcement regulations.
Based on the findings, Bandra Police registered a case against Gopal Narayan Singh and Sunil Gupta under relevant provisions related to the violation of government orders and acts endangering public safety.
Police are now examining whether the incident involved any broader security lapses and are verifying if permissions had been sought from any other regulatory agencies. Further investigation is underway.
