The Supreme Court has refused to cancel the bail granted by the Gujarat High Court to an accused who sold tickets to tourists on the day the Morbi bridge collapsed in 2022. The top court's order came as it was hearing a plea by Tragedy Victim Association, Morbi, seeking the cancellation of bail of the man. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra did not agree to the submissions of the lawyer.
Tragedy Victim Association reaches top court
"He was just selling the tickets," the bench stated while dismissing the plea. Tragedy Victim Association of Morbi approached the top court to overturn bail granted to accused Mansukhbhai Valjibhai Topia by the High Court on June 9.
According to the Association, the accused was wrongfully granted bail by the High Court. The Gujarat High Court granted bail to the accused, noting the fact that the investigation was completed and the charge sheet had already been filed.
About Morbi bridge collapse tragedy
It should be mentioned here that more than 140 people died and over 100 people were injured due to the collapse of the suspension bridge over the Morbi Macchu River on October 30, 2022. As per reports, the British-era bridge was closed for about eight months for maintenance and the repair work was being completed by a private agency. The Gujarat Police has filed an FIR under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in the bridge collapse tragedy. In addition, the Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee headed to probe the bridge collapse incident.
(With ANI reports)
