Morbi bridge collapse: Oreva group MD Jaysukh Patel yet to be questioned

It has been more than two weeks since the Morbi bridge collapsed in Gujarat on October 30, claiming lives of 135 people. The police arrested nine persons on the next day, including four officials of the Oreva group – two managers and two ticket booking clerks. However, the company’s managing director Jaysukh Patel is yet to be called by the police for questioning.

Oreva group is into making LED bulbs and other electrical appliances with no experience in maintaining a bridge. An agreement was signed between the Oreva group and Morbi municipality on March 8, 2022 to operate, maintain, repair and collect rent for the 140-year-old historic bridge for a period of 15 years.

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

The whereabouts of Patel remain a mystery. He has not been seen in public after the tragedy, nor has his company issued any statement regarding it. His offices in Ahmedabad and Morbi remain closed ever since the incident.

Asked about Patel, Morbi superintendent of police (SP) Rahul Tripathi said, “We cannot disclose anything at this point. The investigation in the case is on and we will reveal once it’s over.”

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.

The government’s urban department has formed a special committee to investigate the role of Oreva, the contractors involved in the repair work, and municipality officials in connection to the bridge collapse. The work of fabrication was given by Oreva to a Dhangadhra based firm, Devprakash Solutions.

“The committee has done site visits, collected samples of the materials used for the bridge and sent to laboratory for testing. Samples have also been sent to FSL and their reports are awaited,” said a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Nilesh Patel, a senior journalist based in Morbi, said that Patel and his family are nowhere seen in Morbi. “They seem to have left without a trace. If indeed it is so, what is the reason for running away. On October 24, Patel called a press conference to announce the opening of the bridge,” he said.

State’s advocate general, Kamal Trivedi told the Gujarat high court on day that the bridge was opened by the private firm without informing the authority about the kind of repair work done. “There was no independent third-party certificate given regarding the structural stability, holding capacity or fitness of the bridge,” he said.

The collapse could have been on account of overcrowding on the bridge, according to Trivedi.

“There was a huge rush on October 30 due to Diwali festival holidays. There were 3,165 visitors in the entire day. About 300 persons were allowed to enter the bridge from both ends around 6.30pm on that day and it appeared that the bridge would have collapsed as a result of such a large gathering,” said Trivedi.

Earlier this month, the court took a suo motu cognizance of the Morbi bridge collapse incident, issuing a notice to the state government officials including the Home Department, Urban Housing Department, the Morbi Municipality, and the State Human Rights Commission.

On June 16, 2008, a MoU was executed between the collector of Rajkot and Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd to operate, maintain, manage and collect rent in respect of the suspension bridge and the said 9 years’ period expired on June 15, 2017. Jaysukh Patel, who was with Ajanta at that time, a clock manufacturing firm founded by his father, ran the Oreva group a few years later due to a split in the family business.

The Gujarat high court also observed on Monday how Oreva tried to arm twist the Morbi collector by writing letters that unless a long-term contract is signed, they will not carry out appropriate repair works of the bridge.

Questions are also raised about how Patel went on to run the bridge and collect rent from the tickets sold for a period of about five years from the time his earlier contract expired in June 2017 till the new contract was signed in March 2022.

“Patel was an investor and attaching his company’s name with the bridge could have got him some publicity. The people of Morbi do not know whether it was Patel or the Morbi municipality that is responsible for the tragedy. We don’t understand how he could throw open the bridge without an approval from the general board of Morbi municipality. Who is the government trying to protect?” said Pankaj Vakaria, the Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate from Morbi for the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections.

A Morbi based industrialist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there are several kinds of rumours about Patel and his family.

“Some say he has gone to Haridwar, while a few say he may have left the country,” he added.

There was no response to calls to his office in Morbi and Ahmedabad.