Rajasthan: Another FIR lodged against Hardik Patel

Udaipur, July 22: An FIR was today registered against Patidar reservation agitation spearhead Hardik Patel for allegedly threatening a toll booth staff in Rajasthan's Rajsamand even as police restricted his movement outside his temporary residence here.

IG Anand Srivastava said this, however, was not a house arrest as one of the conditions of the Gujarat High Court while granting him bail was that he has to stay at a temporary address outside Gujarat for the next six months.

"When he has to stay at the temporary address, he is not supposed to move out and he has been asked to stay at the place only in compliance with the court order," he said.

"He was granted conditional bail and this is not a house arrest. This arrangement is in compliance with the court order," he said.

Meanwhile, the case was registered against Patel, former Congress MLA Pushkar Dangi and eight others for threatening the toll booth staff from where they passed without paying the toll tax yesterday, Rajsamand SP Vishnu Kant said.

"The accused were in four cars and were returning from Nathdwara temple in Rajsamand to Udaipur. As per the complaint of the toll booth staff, they did not pay the tax and threatened the staff following which the FIR was lodged with Delwara police station," he said.

The case was registered under sections 384 (punishment for extortion) and 143 (unlawful assembly) of IPC, he added.

Hardik is at present staying at the residence of former Congress MLA Pushkar Dangi in Srinath colony.

He was summoned by police yesterday after he visited Srinath temple and was reminded of the condition that he does not leave his residence.

"If he has to move from that address, he has to seek prior permission from the court. In case of a violation, the court will be informed," Srivastava said.

He added that the house where Patel is staying is being monitored by police.

Patel was recently released from jail in Gujarat after nine months in confinement.

PTI