Morbi bridge collapse | Gujarat HC rejects bail plea of Oreva Group CMD Jaysukh Patel

Justice Divyesh Joshi dismissed the bail plea days after the state government did not oppose it and left the decision to the judiciary’s discretion. Additional advocate general Mitesh Amin told the court on December 13 that there was little possibility of Patel fleeing, citing his status as a businessman.

An association of the relatives of those killed in the collapse expressed their anguish last week over the stance and demanded Amin’s removal from proceedings of the case in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Bhupendra Patel, and the high court chief justice.

“It’s completely surprising and spine-chilling to have expected Amin to adopt a loose and stigmatic approach while representing the state of Gujarat in opposing the bail plea of Patel. Even though the said matter holds a grave sensitivity and had the tendency to send the shockwave not to the families of the affected, but also the citizens at large,” said the letter.