Hardik Patel remanded in judicial custody

Ahmedabad, Nov 3: Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel, arrested on sedition charges, was today sent to Sabarmati central jail by a local court as the police did not seek his further remand.

Hardik was produced before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate B L Choithani this evening by the crime branch after his two-day remand expired today.

When the Magistrate asked Hardik if he has any complaint against the police, he said there was none. However, the firebrand Patel leader told the court that he was not asked a single question in the last three days and forced to sit at one place during the remand.

"I don't have any complaint against the police. But, I want to say that police did not ask a single question during these three days and made me sit at one place. It is my humble request that politics should be kept away from judiciary," Hardik told the court.

As the crime branch did not press for his further remand, the magistrate remanded Hardik in judicial custody.

He was then taken to Sabarmati Central Prison here by the police. Crime Branch had filed a case of sedition against Hardik and five others on October 21 while charging them under Indian Penal Code sections 121 (waging war against government), 124 (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 153-B (assertions prejudicial to national integrity).

After taking his custody from Surat police, Hardik was produced before the same court on October 25.

At that time, the court granted seven-day police custody. Later, after the expiry of the custody, the court granted two days of further remand when he was produced before the court last Sunday.

PTI