Rasikbhai Ambaram Patel, Director of Ajay Engineering Infrastructure Private Limited, was detained in connection with the faulty construction of the Hatkeshwar bridge in Ahmedabad, which became depleted within four years of its opening. The Supreme Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to Patel.
Rejecting Patels’ plea, a bench of Justice J K Maheshwari and Justice P S Narshimha remarked, “This is not a case for anticipatory bail. Your bridge is about to collapse just 4 years after its construction.”
Ajay Engineering Infrastructure was given the contract to build the Hatkeshwar Bridge.
The faulty Hatkeshwar bridge was built in the city, and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation filed a FIR in April against two companies — Ajay Engineering Infrastructure Private Limited and project consultants and SGS India Private Limited.
The FIR mentioned charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy against 9 persons of the company, including the chairman, director and some of its employees.
The Hatkeshwar Bridge was built at a cost of Rs 40 crore and opened to the public in 2017, however, within four years of its opening, the deck showed signs of cave-ins.
After reports of poor construction surfaced, the city corporation closed the bridge for public use and set up an expert committee to examine it. On the basis of the report of the committee, the corporation decided to demolish the bridge.