Iskon Bridge accident case: Supreme Court grants bail to Tathya Patel, ₹1 crore deposit made mandatory

In a major development in the Iskon Bridge hit-and-run case, the Supreme Court has granted regular bail to accused Tathya Patel, who was arrested for allegedly mowing down nine people with his speeding Jaguar car in Ahmedabad in July 2023. However, the apex court has imposed a strict condition requiring Patel to deposit ₹1 crore before he can walk out of jail.

After spending nearly two years and ten months in Sabarmati Central Jail, Tathya Patel is now set to secure his release, subject to compliance with the court’s conditions.

Court makes ₹1 crore deposit mandatory for release

According to information available, despite securing bail from the Supreme Court, Patel’s release from prison will not be immediate. The Ahmedabad rural sessions court had earlier imposed a stringent condition stating that the accused must deposit ₹1 crore before the trial court.

As per the order, Patel will be released from Sabarmati jail only after depositing the amount within 15 days.

Charge-framing itself took 853 days

The legal proceedings in the high-profile Iskon Bridge crash case had witnessed significant delays, with the process of framing charges against Tathya Patel taking as long as 853 days.

The matter progressed further only after the Supreme Court intervened and directed the lower court to expedite proceedings. Earlier, the apex court had instructed that examination of key witnesses be completed within three months.

28 witnesses examined in record time

Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the Ahmedabad rural court accelerated the trial proceedings and completed the examination and cross-examination of 28 witnesses within three months.

The investigating officer also submitted a detailed affidavit before the Supreme Court regarding the progress of the case. After considering all aspects, the apex court finally granted conditional bail to the accused.

What was the case?

The incident took place on the night of July 19, 2023, when Tathya Patel allegedly rammed his Jaguar car into a crowd gathered near the Iskon Bridge in Ahmedabad after an earlier minor accident on the bridge.

Nine people died on the spot, while 13 others sustained serious injuries in the crash.

Police had registered offences against Tathya Patel and his father Pragnesh Patel under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 279, 337, 338, 304, 308, along with provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.