Three months after 135 people died in the Morbi suspension bridge collapse, the local police filed a chargesheet against 10 persons, including Jaysukh Patel, the promoter of Oreva Group, whose shoddy repair and renovation work of the Victorian era structure was exposed by investigators. While nine people have already been arrested, Patel is still on the run and has filed for anticipatory bail.
The IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336, 337, and 338 (negligence acts endangering people's lives), as well as section 114, have been used to charge all 10 of them. In all 367 witnesses, including relatives of the deceased and those hurt in the October 30 catastrophe, have testified in the 1,262-page chargesheet. The police have also included the comments of the medical professionals who treated the injured at public and private institutions.
The statements of other concerned people like the chief officer of Morbi municipality were also a part of the chargesheet. Statements of four people recorded by the magistrate under CrPC 164 that provided crucial information to police in collecting evidence were also included.
Investigators also collected communication between the collector's office, the municipality and Oreva Group as well as a number of documents pertaining to maintenance contracts issued to the company since 2007 from Rajkot mamlatdar, Morbi municipality and Oreva Group's office.
Senior counsel Nirupam Nanavati appearing for Oreva Group submitted, “Something has happened at the end of the municipality. Some wrong was committed by the company. Ultimately unprecedented damage has been done.” He offered to care for seven orphaned children until they were adults and found suitable employment, as well as to provide recompense to the injured and the injured's family members. They might be accommodated by the business.
