Morbi bridge collapse: Court rejects bail pleas of seven accused

A sessions court in Morbi on Saturday rejected the bail applications of seven accused, including two managers of Oreva Group, who are behind bars in connection with suspension bridge collapse in which 135 people were killed.

Morbi principal district and sessions judge P C Joshi pronounced the order rejecting the applications of seven accused who had sought regular bail. The accused had moved the plea for relief on several grounds including their "small roles" in the incident and completion of investigation.

Seven out of ten accused, including two managers of clock-making firm Oreva Group, had moved the court for bail after police submitted its charge sheet last month. Their previous bail applications were also rejected by the sessions as well as high courts.

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Earlier on January 31, Jaysukh Patel, the managing director of Oreva, had surrendered before the sessions court in Morbi. He is under police custody till February 8.

All the accused have been charged under sections of Indian Penal Code including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 114 (abetment), among others.

The charge sheet stated that "gross negligence and carelessness" on the part of the accused persons for financial gains resulted in the tragedy. Oreva Group had the contract of maintaining the British-era bridge on Machhu river.