Court remands Hardik Patel in seven days police custody

Ahmedabad: An Ahmedabad court on Sunday sent Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel in seven days remand of Crime Branch of city police in connection with an alleged case of sedition and waging war against the State.

Metropolitan Magistrate S J Brahmbhatt passed the order on an application of the probe agency seeking 14 days remand.

The 22-year old leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) was produced before the magistrate at his residence late last night.

In a marathon hearing that lasted till early this morning, the probe agency said it needed to "know about the persons behind the quota agitation and the source of funding behind it".

Seeking a 14-day remand of Hardik, Crime Branch submitted that custody of the accused is needed to interrogate him to know who all have been supporting their agitation, whether PAAS is a registered organisation and and how he was appointed as its convener.

It also sought the remand to know that who funded the accommodation of people who attended various public rallies of Hardik.

The probe agency said that an investigation will have to be carried out on the aspects of rioting incidents that broke out every time when PAAS leaders were detained by the police in various parts of Gujarat.

As Hardik mentioned in a public rally here on August 25 that their agitation would give a blow to the present state government and will also harm the Centre, a probe is needed on this part to ascertain if he had hatched any conspiracy against the central and state governments, the plea said.

It said the emerging Patel leader had also incited members of his community to resort to violence across the state.