A warrant was issued for the arrest of Jaysukh Patel of Overa Group by a Gujarat Court in connection the Morbi bridge collapse which claimed 134 lives.

According to reports, Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) was given the contract to renovate, repair and operated the British-era Bridge on Machchu River.

The arrest warrant was issued under section 70 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Government prosecutor Sanjay Vora was quoted by ANI saying, “The court issued an arrest warrant against Jaysukh Patel of Overa Group, which had a contract for the renovation of the Morbi bridge. He has not been arrested for 70 days. No lookout notice issued yet.”

It may be mentioned that Patel has earlier moved to Morbi court sessions on January 20 for an anticipatory bail in the case, while the hearing was adjourned till February 1 as the public prosecutor was not present.

Moreover, nine persons, including four employees of Oreva Group, were arrested in the case so far.

The arrested persons from Oreva Group include two managers and an equal number of ticket booking clerks that was managing the British-era bridge.

As many as 135 people, including women and children, were killed and over 100 were receiving treatment for their injuries sustained after a cable suspension bridge in Morbi town collapsed on November last year, plunging people into the Machchhu River.

On November 7, Gujarat High Court took suo motu cognizance of the accident and issued notices to officials, including those of the state Home department and seeking a report within a week.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court in November said that the bridge collapse incident was an ‘enomous tragedy’, as it asked the Gujarat High Court, which was already holding hearings in the matter.

(with inputs from ANI)