Police oppose bail pleas of Hardik Patel, his aides

Ahmedabad: The city police on Thursday opposed the bail applications filed by Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and his two aides, arrested in a case of alleged sedition claiming that the accused may resort to similar unlawful activities if they are released.

In response to the bail applications of Hardik, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Chirag Patel, the city crime branch today filed its affidavit in the Sessions Court and opposed their bail plea.

The bail application had been filed by Hardik in connection with the second case of alleged sedition slapped against him by the state government. The first case was filed against him in Surat and he has sought bail in that also.

In its affidavit, the police alleged that all the accused are facing serious charges.

Evidences collected till date prove their active involvement in committing the crime of inciting Patel community youths to resort to violence after their mega rally on August 25 here, which resulted in state-wide violence and loss of public property worth crores, the affidavit, filed before Additional Sessions Judge H J Joshi, said.

"These accused, who are conveners of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), knew that Patels will not get reservation under OBC quota through a legal channel. Despite knowing the fact, they intentionally misguided the Patel community to destabilise the government," it alleged.

The police pleaded that the trio should not be released on bail as they might indulge in similar activities and also try to tamper with the evidence after being released on bail.

Further hearing in the case has been scheduled on December 5 as Hardik's lawyers sought time to go through the affidavit.

In the bail plea filed a week back by Hardik's lawyer BM Mangukiya, it is argued that the FIR against Hardik and other PAAS leaders is fabricated and the quota agitation led by them does not amount to sedition or waging war against government, as charged in the FIR against him by the police on October 21.

The city crime branch charged Hardik and five of his key aides under IPC sections 121 (waging war against government), 124 (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 153-B (assertions prejudicial to national integrity).

Currently, Hardik is lodged in Surat jail, while Dinesh and Chirag are lodged in Sabarmati jail here.