Hardik Patel arrested for evading sedition case trial

Congress leader Hardik Patel was arrested on Saturday (January 18) night from Viramgam taluka in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district for failing to appear before a trial court here in a 2015 sedition case, hours after a warrant was issued against him.

Patel’s arrest was confirmed by DCP Rajdeepsinh Zala (cybercrime).

“We have arrested Hardik Patel from near Viramgam after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. We will produce him before the court tomorrow,” Zala said.

Patel had been previously arrested in connection with a sedition case filed by the local Crime Branch after violence broke out during a rally by the Patel community in Ahmedabad
on August 25, 2015.

The quota leader was granted bail in July 2016, and the court had, in November 2018, framed charges against him and other accused in the case.

Also Read: Who is he, Gujarat’s Hitler? Asks Tarun Gajjar who slapped Hardik Patel

On Saturday, Additional Sessions Judge BG Ganatra issued an arrest warrant against Patel, after accepting the government’s plea against an exemption application moved by the Patidar leaders lawyer.

The prosecution told the court the accused intended to delay the trial by seeking regular exemption from appearance.

The court also observed that Patel, who has to be cross-examined in the case, was flouting bail conditions by not remaining present regularly with the intention to delay
trial.

Patel had joined the Congress ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.