The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday, 22 February, ordered the Oreva Group to pay Rs 10 lakh as "interim" compensation to the kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured within four weeks.
Oreva Group is the firm that was incharge of renovating and repairing the suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi district which collapsed on 30 October 2022, claiming the lives of 135 people and injuring 56 others.
This comes a day after Oreva Group had offered to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to the kin of those who died and Rs 1 lakh to the injured persons.
What did the court say? Chief Justice Sonia Gokani said, "The company had offered to give Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 1 lakh to those injured. However, this is not enough. The company has to pay Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the victims and Rs 2 lakhs to those injured."
The bench, however, had earlier made it clear that Oreva's offer of compensation "will not absolve it of any liability".
More details: Oreva Group's managing director Jaysukh Patel was identified as the prime accused in Morbi bridge collapse case. He surrendered before a court in Morbi on 31 January.
Other than him, the police revealed that nine accused were arrested, a day after the incident.
In a 1262-page chargesheet, a total of 367 persons have been named as witnesses.
The charges: The accused have been arrested under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):
Section 304 – Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
Section 308 – Attempt to commit culpable homicide
Section 336 – Act endangering life or personal safety of others
Section 337 – Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others
Section 338 – Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others
Section 114 – Abettor present when offence is committed
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