Morbi bridge collapse case: Oreva Group MD Jaysukh Patel surrenders, 7 other accused move bail pleas

Patel is among the 10 accused in the case facing charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The magisterial court had issued an arrest warrant against him on January 13.

Earlier this month, Patel had moved the Morbi district and sessions court seeking protection against arrest. However, the court adjourned his anticipatory bail plea till February 1 after the prosecution sought time to file its response to the application.

Meanwhile, seven of the other accused in the case filed fresh bail applications before the Morbi district and sessions court on Tuesday after the chargesheet was filed and these are due to be heard on February 2. Those who have moved for bail include AMPL managers Deepak Parekh and Dineshbhai Dave, ticket clerks Madevbhai Solanki and Mansukhbhai Topiya and security guards Alpeshbhai Gohil, Dilipbhai Gohil and Mukeshbhai Chauhan.

The proprietors of the Surendranagar-based Dev Prakash Fabrication firm, Prakash Parmar and Devang Parmar, have not yet filed for bail. The Morbi court had refused to grant bail to the nine accused earlier in November 2022 as the applications were filed prior to the filing of the chargesheet. They had subsequently moved Gujarat High Court with bail pleas but had withdrawn the same.

On January 27, the Morbi police had filed a charge sheet against 10 accused under sections 304, 308, 114, 336, 337 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code in relation to the bridge collapse that killed 135 people on October 30.