Surat court rejects Hardik's bail plea in sedition case

Ahmedabad, Mar 15: A Surat court on Tuesday rejected bail application of Hardik Patel, booked for sedition during Patel quota stir, citing as grounds two FIRs registered against him during his incarceration and an additional affidavit filed by police regarding torching of a bus.

The court of Principal Sessions Judge, Geeta Gopi also maintained as strong the evidences produced by the police and mentioned in the charge sheet filed against him in the sedition case. Hardik is currently lodged at Lajpore jail in Surat under sedition charges.

The court cited two FIRs filed by police against the quota leader for allegedly receiving, bringing or removing "prohibited articles" in jail under sections 43, 44 and 45 (12) of the Prison Act.

While they did not name Hardik as accused in one FIR, the police said he was still under scanner as articles like mobile phone were recovered from outside his barrack.

Hardik was named as accused in another FIR. Surat DCB police had filed an additional affidavit before the court on March 11 stating that members of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), of which Hardik is a convener, were behind the incident dated February 18 in which a mob of around 40 people put on fire a state transport bus.

Hardik will move the High Court with a fresh bail plea, his lawyer Yashwantsinh Vala said. Hardik's bail application in another sedition case was rejected by a Ahmedabad court on March 8, following which his lawyers moved High Court on March 11.

PTI