Ahmedabad: Congress leader Hardik Patel was granted bail Wednesday, four days after he was arrested for failing to appear before the trial court in a 2015 sedition case.
Additional sessions judge BG Ganatra granted Patel bail on the condition that he will cooperate with the court proceedings and would not seek adjournment unless there is a genuine reason. The court will hear the sedition case next January 24.
Last Saturday Judge Ganatra had issued arrest warrant against Patel after accepting the government’s plea against an exemption from appearance application moved by the Patidar leader’s lawyer.
He was arrested soon after from Viramgam in Ahmedabad district. The court had observed that Patel was flouting his bail conditions by not cooperating with the trial proceedings and remaining absent.
The Ahmedabad crime branch booked Patel in a case of sedition in connection with the violence which broke out in many parts of Gujarat following a rally for Patidar quota here August 25, 2015.
Patel had led the agitation for quota for the Patidar/Patel community. The Gujarat High Court granted him bail in July 2016.
In November 2018, the trial court framed charges against him and others. Patel joined the Congress ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
PTI
