Patel community leader Hardik Patel being produced in Fast Track Court in Surat on Tuesday, October 20, 2015. (Press Trust of India photo)
Ahmedabad:
The Gujarat High Court today reserved its verdict for Tuesday on a petition seeking to quash sedition proceedings against Patel community leader Hardik Patel for his allegedly inflammatory remarks against the police.
A Surat court had earlier remanded him in police custody till today evening.
The petition was filed by his father Bharat Patel, a BJP worker in Ahmedabad challenging Mr Patel's arrest on October 19 on sedition charges for exhorting youngsters from his community to kill a policeman or two instead of thinking of committing suicide.
Mr Hardik Patel had on October 3 advised Mr Vipul Desai in Surat: "If you have so much courage, go kill a policeman or two instead of committing suicide. Patels never commit suicide."
On his visit to Mr Desai, Mr Hardik Patel had taken along a reporter of a local TV channel. Once the channel aired his remarks, it was uploaded on the social network, sparking off a controversy.
He was slapped with a sedition charge for this. This was contested by his advocate BM Mangukia in the Gujarat High Court.
While putting off the hearing till today, the high court had on Wednesday sought the state government's explanation as to how did this tantamount to sedition.
According to sources in Surat, the local police might seek further remand for Mr Hardik Patel today evening.
But even if the Surat metropolitan court rejects further remand for him, Mr Hardik Patel might not walk free as yet as another sedition case has been filed against him in Ahmedabad.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch police are likely to arrest him again in the city on a transfer warrant from Surat.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch police produced three close aides of Mr Hardik Patel before a court on Thursday evening on charges of sedition and conspiracy to overthrow a duty elected government.
The three -- Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bamania and Ketan Patel -- are among the six who face these charges in Ahmedabad, the other being Mr Hardik Patel.
Alpesh Kathiria from Surat and Amrish Patel from Ahmedabad are on the run.
Mr Chirag Patel and Mr Dinesh Bamania were whisked away in a dramatic fashion from outside the Gujarat High Court on the same day Mr Hardik Patel's father challenged the charges on him on Monday.
Mr Ketan Patel was later picked up from Waghai in south Gujarat. All three were remanded to police custody till 3.30 pm on October 29.
A Surat court had earlier remanded him in police custody till today evening.
The petition was filed by his father Bharat Patel, a BJP worker in Ahmedabad challenging Mr Patel's arrest on October 19 on sedition charges for exhorting youngsters from his community to kill a policeman or two instead of thinking of committing suicide.
Mr Hardik Patel had on October 3 advised Mr Vipul Desai in Surat: "If you have so much courage, go kill a policeman or two instead of committing suicide. Patels never commit suicide."
On his visit to Mr Desai, Mr Hardik Patel had taken along a reporter of a local TV channel. Once the channel aired his remarks, it was uploaded on the social network, sparking off a controversy.
He was slapped with a sedition charge for this. This was contested by his advocate BM Mangukia in the Gujarat High Court.
While putting off the hearing till today, the high court had on Wednesday sought the state government's explanation as to how did this tantamount to sedition.
According to sources in Surat, the local police might seek further remand for Mr Hardik Patel today evening.
But even if the Surat metropolitan court rejects further remand for him, Mr Hardik Patel might not walk free as yet as another sedition case has been filed against him in Ahmedabad.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch police are likely to arrest him again in the city on a transfer warrant from Surat.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch police produced three close aides of Mr Hardik Patel before a court on Thursday evening on charges of sedition and conspiracy to overthrow a duty elected government.
The three -- Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bamania and Ketan Patel -- are among the six who face these charges in Ahmedabad, the other being Mr Hardik Patel.
Alpesh Kathiria from Surat and Amrish Patel from Ahmedabad are on the run.
Mr Chirag Patel and Mr Dinesh Bamania were whisked away in a dramatic fashion from outside the Gujarat High Court on the same day Mr Hardik Patel's father challenged the charges on him on Monday.
Mr Ketan Patel was later picked up from Waghai in south Gujarat. All three were remanded to police custody till 3.30 pm on October 29.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
