Morbi bridge tragedy: Boss of renovation firm surrenders

Morbi: Managing Director of Oreva Group Jaysukh Patel, an accused in the last year's Morbi suspension bridge collapse case who is facing culpable homicide not amounting to murder charges, on Tuesday surrendered before a court here in Gujarat and was subsequently sent to jail. As many as 135 people were killed and scores others injured when a suspension bridge collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi town on October 30 last year.

Patel, whose company was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the carriageway, surrendered before the Morbi-based court of chief judicial magistrate which had issued an arrest warrant against him. The court accepted his application for surrender and sent him to jail under judicial custody.

The businessman was named as the tenth accused in the case in a chargesheet filed by the police on January 27. Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd (Oreva Group) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river that collapsed, days after its repairs. Nearly 250 persons were on the more than a century-old hanging bridge, a popular tourist site, when it caved in. "Jaysukh Patel surrendered before the court of chief judicial magistrate MJ Khan which had issued an arrest warrant against him under section 70 of the CrPC. The court accepted his application and sent him to judicial custody. The police will approach the court and seek his custody," said Dilip Agechaniya, a lawyer representing families of the victims. Earlier, fearing arrest in the case, Patel had moved an anticipatory bail plea in the court and it was due to come up for hearing on February 1.