Gujarat court frames charges against BJP MLA Hardik Patel in 2018 Patidar quota stir case

Ahmedabad, Nov 18 (PTI) An Ahmedabad court on Tuesday framed charges against BJP MLA Hardik Patel in a 2018 rioting case pertaining to the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at the Ahmedabad rural court, GB Siag, framed charges against the Viramgam MLA in the case registered at the city's Nikol police station in August 2018, paving the way for his trial.

The ruling party MLA, who spearheaded the Patidar (Patel) quota agitation before joining the mainstream politics, was present in the court during the framing of charges. Patel served as convener of the Patidar Anamata Andolan Samiti (PAAS), the outfit that spearheaded the quota stir which began in 2015.

An FIR was registered at the Nikol police station against Patel and others linked to the quota stir under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, assault on a government servant, criminal conspiracy, and creating obstruction for police in performing their duties, among others.

The case pertained to a symbolic fast organised by PAAS in Nikol area of Ahmedabad city on August 18, 2018, as part of the Patidar reservation movement without police permission.

The court had earlier issued an arrest warrant against Patel for repeatedly failing to appear before it in connection with the case. The arrest warrant was later quashed by the Gujarat High Court. His discharge plea in the case is also pending before the high court.

Several FIRs were registered against Patel during the Patidar stir that he spearheaded between 2015 and 2019.

Patel later joined the Opposition Congress before switching over to the BJP. The ruling party fielded him in the 2022 assembly elections, and he was elected from Viramgam in Ahmedabad district. PTI KA RSY