Media not allowed in HC during hearing of Hardik's petition

Ahmedabad, Sep 29: The media was today not allowed to go inside the Gujarat High Court during the hearing of habeas corpus petition which alleges that Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel had been abducted.

Police inspector Digvijaysinh Jadeja, who is in charge of the High Court security, said the security personnel had orders from "top authority" not to allow the mediapersons who did not have an entry pass.

Even after he was told that some 25 reporters of print and electronic media who had been stopped near gate number two did have e-passes or physical passes issued by the High Court, Jadeja maintained that he could not oblige as he had "orders from the court."

"There was a meeting of HC authorities last night where it was decided not to allow the reporters," he said. When contacted, High Court Registrar General B N Karia said he wasn't aware of any such order.

"I am not aware of any such thing but it must have been done for security purpose," Karia told PTI. He assured that he would try to find out a way but became inaccessible later.

The High Court campus security in-charge Shailesh Goswami said the reporters were stopped because they did not have the gate passes.

When he was told that all the mediapersons had gate- passes, he said reporters should leave their "electronic instruments" outside.

When he was told that nobody carried any instruments, he said "mediapersons are not allowed today due to a particular case." However, a few reporters managed to enter by not disclosing that they were mediapersons.

PTI