Three accused granted bail in Morbi bridge collapse

The Gujarat high court Thursday granted bail to three security guards who were behind bars since their arrest in connection with the Morbi bridge collapse in which 135 people were killed in October last year.

Justice Samir Dave granted regular bail to Alpesh Gohil, Dilip Gohil and Mukesh Chauhan who were among the ten accused arrested following the incident. The relief was granted after public prosecutor Mitesh Amin submitted that the court should decide on their pleas considering their job profile.

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Amin submitted that the owners of the clock-making firm, Oreva Group, are mainly responsible for the incident. Amin also said that the court should make it clear in its order, in case bail was granted, that the other accused should not get parity since they were facing serious charges.

During the hearing, the defence lawyer told the court the applicant accused were working as labourers with the firm who had been deployed at the bridge as security guards in view of the Diwali rush. The bridge collapsed on October 30 during the Diwali vacation.

This is the first time that three accused have been granted bail in this case. Oreva Group's managing director Jaysukh Patel, who is charged as the main accused, and six others including the father-son duo of the construction firm which undertook the repair work, are behind bars.