Warrant issued, but Oreva group’s head remains untraceable

The police are in the process of filing a charge sheet and the investigation so far points out to Patel as the main accused in the case, according to senior police official close to the development.

Ahmedabad Nearly three months since the British-era bridge in Morbi collapsed on October 30, leaving 135 people dead, the Gujarat police have not been able to nab Jaysukh Patel, whose firm Oreva Group was given the work of maintenance, repair and operation of the footbridge.

The Gujarat police got an arrest warrant from the court more than 10 days ago and issued a lookout notice for Patel at airports and ports to ensure that he does not flee the country. (PTI)

The police are in the process of filing a charge sheet and the investigation so far points out to Patel as the main accused in the case, according to senior police official close to the development.

The Gujarat police got an arrest warrant from the court more than 10 days ago and issued a lookout notice for Patel at airports and ports to ensure that he does not flee the country.

“We have tried to search for Patel at his residences in Morbi and Ahmedabad. Also, we have searched his offices and factories in Morbi and Kutch but he has been evading arrest. In our investigation we have found Patel to be the main accused,” said a second police official aware of the matter.

Senior counsel ND Nanavaty, representing Patel in an ongoing suo motu case in the Gujarat high court, said that his client is not evading arrest.

“Patel’s name does not figure in the original FIR. He has also filed an application for anticipatory bail before a court in Morbi, taking legal recourse under Section 438 of CrPC. Patel is not evading arrest,” Nanavaty told HT over the phone.

Asked if he was in touch with Patel, Nanavaty said he does not interact with his clients directly.

“I have never talked or interacted with him (Patel), not even over the phone,” said Nanavaty. He told the Gujarat high court on Wednesday that the Oreva group was willing to pay compensation to the victims and those who have been injured. He said the seven children who lost their parents in the tragedy will be taken care of by the company till they attain employment.

Police officials said that from the time of the tragedy they had time and again called Patel for questioning but he failed to turn up.

A senior journalist in Morbi who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that soon after the bridge collapse, Patel was seen at the site of the tragedy but was soon taken away by his friends and colleagues. After that, the people of Morbi have neither seen nor heard about his whereabouts, he added.

The Morbi-based home-appliances, clock and e-bike maker Oreva Group was given the contract by the Morbi municipality in March 2022 to repair and operate the British-era bridge for 15 years and to collect revenue from its ticket sales. Nanavaty told court that the company did not earn any profit from the bridge.

The bridge, after undergoing repairs, was thrown open for the public on October 26, the Gujarati New Year, by Patel and his family members without informing the Morbi municipality.

Patel has not been seen in public after the tragedy, nor has his company issued any statement regarding it.

On January 16, Patel moved an anticipatory bail plea in a Morbi sessions court fearing arrest in the case. On January 21, the court adjourned the hearing on the anticipatory bail application of Patel till February 1. The court of principal district and sessions judge PC Joshi deferred the hearing as the public prosecutor was not present.

The FIR filed by the police at Morbi ‘B’ division police station on October 31 does not name Oreva and its promoters. It has shown “agencies responsible for maintenance and management of the hanging bridge” as the main accused, along with others whose names emerged during the course of investigation.

A government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) had cited, among other things, several lapses on the part of Oreva Group in repairs, maintenance and operation of the footbridge.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has revealed that rusty cables, broken anchor pins, and loose bolts were among the lapses that were not addressed while renovating the suspension bridge.

Oreva Group did not hire any expert agency to assess the load-bearing capacity of the bridge before throwing it open to the public, it said.

The second police official quoted earlier said police were keeping a tight vigil and chances were very slim that Patel could have left the country.