AgenciesGujarat government has suspended Morbi municipality chief executive officer Sandipsinh Zala days after the collapse of a cable suspension bridge, which killed at least 135 people. Zala is the first government employee to have come under the scanner after the tragedy last Sunday, just days after private company Oreva reopened the century-old hanging bridge after renovation.
The suspension order issued late on Thursday noted that retaining Zala in active duty would be against public good in the backdrop of an inquiry constituted against responsible officials of Morbi municipality, Oreva company that was responsible for renovation and maintenance of the bridge, and the agency that carried out the renovation.
Zala has been placed at the zonal headquarters at Rajkot. Police have already questioned him as a part of evidence collection process in the case, a police officer connected with the case told ET. "We are investigating the case thoroughly and in case we find any criminal culpability, we shall go ahead with arrest," the officer said.
Zala, it may be remembered, had told media that the hanging bridge was reopened to public without informing the municipality. While the inauguration of the bridge by Oreva owner Jaysukh Patel was extensively covered by the media in Morbi, Zala had claimed that he had learnt about the event only through media.
Meanwhile, a group of activists were allegedly stopped from sitting for a fast and demonstration at Morbi on Friday. They demanded that senior government officials be named in the FIR (first information report) filed in the bridge collapse case and be investigated accordingly.
Nilesh Arvadia, social activist and a former member of Patidar agitation, alleged that the state government has been trying to save the senior functionaries of Morbi municipality.
The suspension order issued late on Thursday noted that retaining Zala in active duty would be against public good in the backdrop of an inquiry constituted against responsible officials of Morbi municipality, Oreva company that was responsible for renovation and maintenance of the bridge, and the agency that carried out the renovation.
Zala has been placed at the zonal headquarters at Rajkot. Police have already questioned him as a part of evidence collection process in the case, a police officer connected with the case told ET. "We are investigating the case thoroughly and in case we find any criminal culpability, we shall go ahead with arrest," the officer said.
Zala, it may be remembered, had told media that the hanging bridge was reopened to public without informing the municipality. While the inauguration of the bridge by Oreva owner Jaysukh Patel was extensively covered by the media in Morbi, Zala had claimed that he had learnt about the event only through media.
Meanwhile, a group of activists were allegedly stopped from sitting for a fast and demonstration at Morbi on Friday. They demanded that senior government officials be named in the FIR (first information report) filed in the bridge collapse case and be investigated accordingly.
Nilesh Arvadia, social activist and a former member of Patidar agitation, alleged that the state government has been trying to save the senior functionaries of Morbi municipality.
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