Supreme Court grants bail to Ahmedabad ISKCON bridge crash accused Tathya Patel

Nearly three years after the fatal ISKCON Bridge crash in Ahmedabad that claimed nine lives, the Supreme Court has granted regular bail to the main accused, Tathya Patel, while directing him to deposit Rs 1 crore before the trial court within 15 days.

Before passing its written order, the apex court sought an assurance from Patel regarding his bona fides. During the hearing, the Gujarat government's counsel suggested that an amount equivalent to Rs 10 lakh for each deceased victim be deposited. Patel's counsel agreed to the proposal, following which the court ordered a lump-sum deposit of Rs 1 crore.

The court clarified that the deposit should not be construed as compensation, as the trial in the case is still underway and Patel has not been convicted. The issue of compensation, it noted, would be decided at an appropriate stage depending on the outcome of the proceedings.

The case stems from the July 2023 ISKCON Bridge tragedy in Ahmedabad, where Patel allegedly drove,e a speeding vehicle, Jaguar into a crowd and several parked vehicles at the accident site, killing nine people and injuring several others. The incident triggered widespread outrage across Gujarat and the country.

A chargesheet was filed within a week of the crash, and the trial is currently being conducted in the Ahmedabad Rural Sessions Court. Statements of around 29 witnesses have been recorded so far, while many more remain to be examined. The prosecution has listed 191 witnesses in total.

Patel faces charges under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code, among other provisions. His bail pleas had previously been rejected by both the trial court and the Gujarat High Court, which cited the seriousness of the allegations and the wider societal impact of the case.

The Supreme Court's decision to grant bail after nearly two years and ten months in custody has once again brought national attention to one of Gujarat's most high-profile road crash cases.

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