Morbi bridge collapse: Gujarat court denies interim bail to Oreva Group MD
Morbi, Mar 7: A court on Tuesday rejected jailed Oreva Group managing director Jaysukh Patel's plea for interim bail, which he had sought to complete the formalities to pay compensation to the victims of last year's collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi town, in which 135 people were killed.
The court of principal district and sessions judge P C Joshi here dismissed Patel's interim bail plea, which was opposed by both the state government and family members of the victims.
The Ahmedabad-headquartered Oreva Group was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the ill-fated British-era bridge on the Machchhu river, which collapsed on October 30 last year, killing 135 persons and injuring 56 others.
Patel, one of the 10 accused arrested in the case, had filed a plea seeking temporary release from jail for 15 to 20 days to complete the formalities required to pay compensation to the families of the deceased and those injured in the crash as per the Gujarat High Court's February 22 order.
The high court had directed the company to pay Rs 10 lakh as interim compensation to the kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured within four weeks.
During arguments in the sessions court last week, the state government had opposed Patel's plea and said the company itself came forward with the offer to pay compensation to the victims, and it should be assumed it was ready with the financial arrangement required for the payment.
The government also submitted that the high court's direction on compensation was for the Oreva Group and not its promoters, and the company has continued to operate even when Patel was jailed.
The lawyer for the families of the victims stated that if released on bail, the businessman may try to influence witnesses of the case.
The Oreva Group had made an offer before the high court to pay an 'interim' compensation totalling Rs 5 crore to the kin of those who lost their lives and those injured in the collapse.
The 10 accused arrested in the case are currently lodged in Morbi sub- jail under judicial custody.
Patel, who was shown as an accused in a chargesheet filed by the police, had been absconding for three months and surrendered before a court on January 31.
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Cong says Modi 'has lost authority to continue as PM', cites Ram Madhav's remarks on oil, tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Friday said Narendra Modi has lost his authority to continue as the prime minister, claiming that a senior RSS leader has made a "clear admission" that Modi is "dancing to Washington's tunes".
Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal shared a video of RSS leader Ram Madhav on X where the latter says that India agreed to stop buying oil from Iran and Russia and also agreed to higher tariffs imposed by the US.
Madhav, however, later apologised saying what he said was "wrong as India did not agree to stop import of oil from Russia. "What I said was wrong. India didn't agree to stopping import of oil from Russia anytime."
"Also it vigorously protested 50 per cent tariff imposition. I was trying to make a limited counterpoint to the other panellist. But factually incorrect. My apologies," Madhav said in a post on X while sharing his video.
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Madhav along with RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale are on a visit to the United States and attended an event at the Hudson Institute in Washington.
In a post on X, Venugopal said, "Clear admission by a senior RSS leader - PM Modi is dancing to Washington's tunes.
"There was once a time when the US' 7th Fleet was in the Bay of Bengal, and India didn't budge. And then there is today, where a Compromised PM has handed over India's sovereignty to the US," Venugopal said in a post on X.
The Congress leader said this is exactly what Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and the entire Opposition has been saying. "India has lost its independent voice on the world stage.
"After this surrender, it's clear that Narendra Modi has lost his authority to continue as Prime Minister," Venugopal said in his post.
In the video shared by Venugopal along with his post, Ram Madhav is heard saying, "India agreed to stop buying oil from Iran. We agreed to stop buying oil from Russia, facing so much criticism from our Indian opposition."
"We agreed to a 50 per cent tariff...Agreed means, we did not say anything. We maintained our patience. 50 per cent tariffs we agreed. Today, in the new trade deal also we agreed for 18 per cent tariffs higher than what it used to be.... I mean, average tariff.
"So, where is India lagging behind in that. What are those issues where India is not doing enough?" Madhav is heard saying in the video during an interactive session at the Hudson Institute.
