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Gujarat High Court upholds sedition charges against Hardik Patel

by IBNS 27 Oct 2015, 09:21 am

Ahmedabad, Oct 27 (IBNS) In a setback for Hardik Patel, the young leader of the agitating Patel community, the, Gujarat High Court has upheld sedition charges against him, reports said.

The High Court has asked the police to scrap charges of promoting enmity between two communities or groups as Hardik's speeches for Patidars do not refer to hostility against any community.

Hardik was arrested by the city crime branch on the charges of sedition and waging war against the government and had filed a plea in the Gujarat HC seeking to have the FIR against him quashed.

The petition, filed by his lawyer BM Mangukia, said the First Information Report was vague and was only aimed at suppressing the agitation of the Patel community for reservation in OBC category. His actions did not amount to sedition or waging war against the government, it said. 

Ahmedabad police's crime branch had filed a fresh FIR for sedition against Hardik and five of his associates after taking his custody from Surat police. According to  the FIR, Hardik and others allegedly incited the people to resort to violence after the Patel community's massive rally here on August 25.