The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail application of Oreva Group Chairman and Managing Director Jaysukh Patel, the main accused in the Morbi suspension bridge collapse tragedy in which at least 135 people were killed in October 2022.
Justice Divyesh Joshi dismissed the bail plea while observing that prima facie it appears that the accused allowed the suspension bridge to be kept open for the public despite knowing the possibility of such an unfortunate incident occurring for want of proper maintenance or safety norms.
Justice Joshi held that had the firm that was responsible for renovation and maintenance of the colonial-era bridge taken sufficient corrective measures, the tragedy could have been averted and the precious lives of innocent persons saved.
