Gujarat HC grants permanent bail to Hardik Patel's aides in sedition case

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat High Court on Thursday granted permanent bail to three close aides of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convenor Hardik Patel in a sedition case.

The court granted bail to Dinesh Bambhania, Chirag Patel and Ketan Patel on the condition of not leaving Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar for the next six months.

A lower court in Ahmedabad had rejected the bail pleas of Dinesh, Chirag and Ketan despite their written assurance to the court that they would not be involved in any sort of activities related to the ongoing pro-quota agitation of Patidars.

Challenging the lower court's order, the pro-quota leaders had filed their bail application before the Gujarat High Court.

On October 21, 2015, the police had arrested Dinesh and Chirag from the Gujarat High Court complex. Later on the same day, the police also nabbed Ketan on similar sedition charges.

A file photo of Hardik Patel. AFP

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch (ACB) had registered a case against Hardik and his associates under IPC sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against the government) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) for their role in the violent stir in which 11 people lost their lives including a police constable.

In another sedition case registered in Surat, a local court there granted bail to Chirag Patel and Vipul Desai on Rs.25,000 bonds.

Advocate of Patel and Desai argued in the court that there were inadequate evidence against Chirag but admitted to the court, as both belong to Surat they would be present before the investigation agencies whenever required in the case.

Meanwhile, jailed PAAS convener Hardik Patel was also presented before a local court in Surat in connection with one of the two sedition cases against him on Thursday.

According to sources, the 22-year-old pro-quota leader was taken to the court complex amid tight security.