A local court in Surat on Thursday rejected bail pleas of close aides of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel in a sedition case. Hardik too is one of the accused in the same case and his bail application will come for hearing in the court on Saturday.
Sedition case was filed against Chirag Desai and Vipul Desai — close aides of PAAS convener by Surat crime branch. Hardik was captured on a camera advising Vipul to kill policemen instead of committing suicide. PAAS convener went to Vipul’s house after he threatened to kill himself in support of the on-going quota stir of Patidars.
Hearing for the case was completed on Monday and verdict reserved to be pronounced in Friday. In fact on the same day Hardik’s bail application was also to be heard by the same court but owing to the absence of the Investigating Officer it was deferred till February 20. With the rejection of the bail pleas of his close aides in the same case, chances of PAAS convener seems to be bleak.
The crime branch of Surat police had on January 8 filed a 370 page charge-sheet in the case. All the three accused are lodged in lajpore central jail in Surat. It is worth mentioning that a court in Ahmedabad will hear Hardik’s bail plea in yet another sedition case filed against him and his five supporters on February 20. The crime branch of Ahmedabad police had on January 18 filed a 2700 page charge sheet in the case lodged for their role in the violence related to pro-quota agitation.