Hardik Patel arrested for evading sedition case trial

Ahmedabad, Jan 18: Congress leader Hardik Patel was arrested on Saturday 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 (cyber crime). "We have arrested Haridk 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.

On Saturday, Additional Sessions Judge B G Ganatra issued an arrest warrant against Patel, after accepting the government's plea against an exemption application moved by the Patidar leader's lawyer.

The prosecution told 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.