Ahmedabad
With the Gujarat Police closing in on him as the key accused in the October 30, 2022, Morbi bridge tragedy that claimed 141 lives, Oreva Group Managing Director Jaysukh Patel, who was reportedly missing ever since, on Tuesday surrendered before a local Morbi court. The clock, e-bikes and home appliances manufacturer group was awarded the contract to maintain and service the colonial era footbridge.
Patel, who is known to be close to the BJP in Gujarat, was named as the key accused in the disaster, as many as three months after the bridge collapse in the police chargesheet on January 27, 2023.
On Tuesday, he surrendered before the court of chief judicial magistrate, which had issued an arrest warrant against him.
Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machhu river in Morbi that collapsed on October 30 last year, days after its repairs.
He had even moved an anticipatory bail application, which was expected to be heard on Wednesday, but Jaysukh Patel surrendered before the petition was decided.
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