The Gujarat High Court on Friday granted bail to 23-year-old Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel in two different sedition cases on the condition that he would have to stay outside Gujarat for next six months.
The court has directed Hardik to submit his passport with the Gujarat Police. Despite bail in sedition cases, the PAAS convener will not be able to come out of jail immediately as he would have to get bail in other cases related to pro-quota agitation which became violent after Maha Kranti Rally at Ahmedabad August 25, 2015.
Police had filed a chargesheet against Hardik and 16 others in a case of rioting and assault registered at Visnagar town of North Gujarat after the first rally by Patels seeking reservation was held at Visnagar on July 6, 2015, for which he has not got a bail yet.
The jailed Patidar leader during the previous hearing on his bail application in connection with the two sedition cases had given assurance to the court that he was prepared to stay out of Gujarat if granted bail.
Patel has been behind the bars at lajpore Jail in Surat since October 2015 for two sedition cases — one registered in Surat and another in Ahmedabad. First sedition case was registered against him in Surat last year after his alleged advice to his supporter to kill couple of policemen rather than committing suicide.
Another sedition case was registered against Hardik and his five close aides by Ahmedabad Crime Branch (ACB) for their alleged involvement to plot violence post Maha Kranti Rally. ACB registered sedition case on the basis of interception of more than 200 calls and lakhs of messages on social media. According to police the post Maha Kranti Rally violence claimed over 10 people’s lives in the State.
Hardik and other pro-quota leaders like lalji Patel of Sardar Patel Group (SPG) are demanding reservation for Patels in Government jobs and education institutions under Other Backward Class (OBC) category. The pro-quota agitation initiated in July 2015 by Hardik and his supporters. In the initial phase of the agitation many other upper castes including Brahmin and Kshtriya communities extended support.
Hardik’s lawyer Zubin Bharda said that the PAAS convener was given bail in both the sedition cases. Hardik will not be free immediately as the court mandated hearing in an another case related to pro-quota agitation on Monday, said Bharda, adding that only after the court’s order on July 11, his release from the jail would be decided.
Reacting on the bail to Hardik in both the sedition cases, PAAS spokesman Varun Patel said that even if he would not be in Gujarat, PAAS supporters would be able to take his guidance to continue agitation. According to him, there would be grand celebration once Hardik is released from the jail.