Hardik Patel files fresh bail pleas in sedition cases

Ahmedabad: Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel on Saturday filed fresh bail applications in Gujarat courts where he is facing two cases for sedition by the state police.

Hardik Patel, who has for four months been running an agitation demanding reservation for high caste Patels in jobs and education under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, moved the court of Additional Sessions Judge N.G. Dave through his lawyer Rafiq Lokhandwala in Ahmedabad.

The agitation for reservation cannot be said to be unlawful in any manner, the bail application says.

His lawyer contends that the sedition charge running into 2,700 pages is false, frivolous, fabricated and politically motivated to suppress the agitation.

Patel has filed another application in Surat, where he faces a sedition case with a chargesheet of 370 pages, in the court of Principal Sessions Judge Gita Gopi.

Making a similar contention as in Ahmedabad, his lawyer Yashwantsinh Vala has argued in Surat that Patel was being framed for political motives.

Hardik Patel is lodged in Lajpore jail in Surat district.

Both the applications will come up for hearing shortly.

Hardik Patel and five others are charged under Sections 124 (A) for sedition, 121 (A) for conspiracy to wage war against the government and 120 (b) for criminal conspiracy.