Morbi: Jaysukh Patel, the managing director of Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited (AMPL) of OREVA Group, has been named as the prime accused in a 1,262-page charge sheet submitted on Friday in connection with the collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat’s Morbi town in October last year that claimed 134 lives.
Rajkot range Inspector General of Police Ashok Yadav told media that the charge sheet is filed against 10 accused, of which nine are arrested while the director is absconding.
Officer said managers Deepak Parekh, Dinesh Dave, three security guards, two ticket clerks and as many private contract workers have been arrested and are in judicial custody.
Earlier, a magistrate’s court has already issued an arrest warrant for Jaysukh Patel. The hearing on his anticipatory bail plea will take place on February 1.
The British-era suspension bridge over the Machchhu River that had collapsed was operated and maintained by Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group). During the investigation, it was found that the company only spent Rs 12 lakh, or six percent, of the Rs 2 crore allocated to the project.
However, on October 24, Patel announced that the bridge was ready and safe to reopen on Gujarati New Year.
