Morbi bridge collapse: Appeal in HC to start probe afresh by another agency

Submitting that he has “reasons to believe that the investigations in the Morbi bridge collapse have been carried out in a biased and partisan manner”, shielding some of the accused, “including, but not limited to, the high officials in the Morbi district administration,” the applicant pointed out lapses before the court.

Among the lapses cited by the petitioner are the inclusion of 370 witnesses, as the petitioner insisted that such a large number of witnesses for the trial have been taken advantage of by the accused to get bail. Of the 370 witnesses, he said, 155 are relatives of the deceased.

It has also been pointed out that M/s Ajanta has not been made an accused despite the company being responsible for the operation and management of the bridge and that no probe has been conducted to connect the managing director (Jaysukh Patel) and other officers of the company on the aspect of commission of crime. It has also been submitted that the statement of the Morbi collector has not been recorded and that the chief officer of the Morbi municipality who was “equally responsible for the lapses” in awarding of the contract for the bridge management and repair, has been listed as a witness and not as an accused.

The court is expected to take up the suo motu public interest litigation concerning the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy Wednesday. The accident in October 2022 had killed 135 people.