Morbi: The Gujarat High Court today declined to consider the application made by Jaysukh Patel, the managing director of Oreva Group and a key defendant in the Morbi bridge collapse case. Patel had sought interim bail while his regular bail application was pending before the court.

Instead, the court suggested that the regular bail request would be addressed on October 27.

Senior advocate Nirupam Nanavaty, who represented Patel, informed Justice Divyesh Joshi that he had submitted the interim bail application due to the pending status of the regular bail plea, which had not been scheduled for a hearing because of time constraints.

Justice Joshi, however, recommended that the primary regular bail matter proceed as planned on October 27, without considering the interim bail application separately. The latter was also scheduled for the same day.

In the meantime, Justice Joshi instructed the advocates representing two distinct groups of victims in the case, advocates Rahul Sharma and Ronith Joy, to submit their written arguments or responses in advance.

Patel had surrendered on January 31 of the current year. He faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the Morbi bridge collapse, which resulted in the deaths of 135 people in October of the previous year. His company was responsible for the bridge’s operation and maintenance.

Patel was included in the chargesheet submitted by the police on January 27, and his role was linked to direct oversight and issuing instructions related to the bridge’s repair and renovation. DeshGujarat