Hardik Patel being produced in Gujarat High Court
appeared today in the Gujarat High Court, which asked him to detail in writing his allegations of being abducted and illegally detained by the state police. For about 40 minutes, the 22-year-old politician sat in court and wrote on three sheets of paper, which then were ordered to be kept in sealed cover by the court.
Observing that the allegations of Hardik being in illegal custody prima facie seem "unsatisfactory," the court has also asked Mr Patel's lawyer B Mangukya to substantiate on September 29, such allegations in his petition to the court two days ago. Hardik Patel must be present in court that day, it said.
In the meantime, the court has said, the state police can proceed in the cases it has registered against Hardik Patel for defying prohibitory orders while holding a rally in north Gujarat. However, police sources revealed that his arrest was unlikely at least till Tuesday when the High Court continues hearing in the case.
On Mr Mangukya's panicked petition that Hardik was missing and had been picked up by the police, the court had at 2.30 am on Wednesday issued orders to the state government to produce him by today.
But
Hardik Patel surfaced on Wednesday in Viramgam, about 60 km from Ahmedabad and held a press conference, where he alleged that
armed men had abducted him from a village in north Gujarat on Tuesday and held him captive overnight in a car.
He also alleged that they threatened him to call off his agitation for reservation in government jobs and colleges for the Patel community. Hardik Patel is the face of that massive agitation.
The state police has denied detaining Mr Patel. It has said that Mr Patel had fled in a vehicle on Tuesday when they tried to detain him for holding a large public meeting in the north Gujarat village without permission. Mr Patel had addressed a crowd of about 2000 to 3000 people.
The police arrested 13 of his associates.
When Hardik Patel was briefly detained after a massive rally in Ahmedabad last month, there was violence in many of Gujarat's cities.
He was arrested on Saturday last, after he attempted to hold a protest rally in Surat for which he did not have permission.