The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Gujarat Police to file a chargesheet against Patidar Andolan leader Hardik Patel in a sedition case. The court asked police to lodge the final investigation report by Friday in a trial court in Gujarat.
Patel faces the grave charge of allegedly instigating Patel community to kill policemen and adopt violent means to “wage war against Gujarat Government”. The apex court’s order came after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for Gujarat, informed the bench of Justices JS Khehar and C Nagappan that investigation into the case had closed and the police required permission to file the chargesheet. The Court had earlier said that if chargesheet was not filed, Patel will be entitled for release on bail.
The bench refused to go through the chargesheet as it said, “It would be inappropriate to look into it. let the charge sheet be filed in the trial court on or before January 8, 2016. A copy of the chargesheet would be provided to the counsel for the accused in the trial court.” The court will now hear the matter on January 14 to decide on Patel’s petition questioning whether the charge of sedition was maintainable against him. The State police had lodged the case in October 2015 against the 22-year-old and five of his close aides, all who are currently behind bars.