Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of Oreva Group promoter Jaysukh Patel, key accused in Morbi bridge collapse.
In October 2022, Morbi bridge collapsed leaving 135 dead and 55 others injured. The Oreva Group was entrusted to maintain and operate the bridge. Jaysukh is lodged in jail since January over a host of charges including culpable homicide. A total of 10 people were accused of culpable homicide. Among which, six were granted bail and the remaining are in jail.
The state government had not opposed the bail plea and left it to the judiciary to decide. It submitted that the forensic report stated that the bridge was weak for several reasons. However, the next of kin of a deceased said that the case was not of simple negligence but gross negligence. He also apprehended that if Jaysukh is released on bail then there may be possibilities of tampering with evidence or threatening witnesses.
Senior advocate Nirupam Nanavati, appearing for Jaysukh told the High Court that six other co-accused including three security guards, two ticketing clerks and the manager of Oreva Group, have already been granted bail. He said that there may be negligence that may amount to criminal negligence and be an offence, but in this case there was no intention to kill. He blamed the careless crowd that had gathered on the bridge during Diwali holidays for the collapse. He stated that if the repairs were not proper then more precaution could have been taken but it was not known that so many people would be on the bridge and it would collapse.
Denying allegation that the company made profit from selling tickets to people visiting the bridge, Nanavati said that the sale of 100 tickets at Rs 15 does not clarify the profit earned. The company had took over maintenance of the bridge on the request of the District Collector, he said.
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