Sedition case: Hardik Patel undergoes voice-matching test

Crime branch has conducted voice matching or 'spectrography' test on Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel.

Ahmedabad: The city crime branch on Wednesday conducted voice matching or 'spectrography' test on Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel in connection with a sedition case against him.

"We conducted the voice spectrography test on Hardik Patel after he gave his consent," Assistant Commissioner of Police K N Patel told PTI.

The test was conducted at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Gandhinagar against the leader, who is accused of sedition as well as waging war against the government.

The voice-matching test was needed to verify police's claim that Hardik's phone conversations revealed that he intended to wage a war against the government, police said.

Besides Hardik, five leaders of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti -- Chirag Patel, Dinesh Patel, Ketan Patel, Alpesh Kathiria and Amrish Patel -- are accused in the case.

They have been booked under IPC Sections 121 (waging war against the government), 124 (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 153-B (assertions prejudicial to national integrity).

This is the second case of sedition against Hardik. The first one has been filed by Surat police for allegedly advising a Patel youth "to kill policemen rather than committing suicide".

Hardik, the firebrand leader of the agitation of the Patel community for OBC quota, has been in the limelight since his massive rally here on August 25. His detention after the rally sparked state-wide violence and claimed 10 lives.