Ahmedabad:

In a relief of sorts for Congress backed PAAS leader Hardik Patel, the Gujarat High Court today suspended the 2 year simple imprisonment punishment pronounced by a lower court in Visnagar town of Mahesana district on July 25 in the case pertaining to attack on the office of the then BJP MLA Rushikesh Patel.

The session court of judge V K Agrawal had awarded similar punishment to Sardar Patel Group president Lalji Patel and another patidar quota agitation activist A K Patel also in the case.

Hardik had moved high court against it seeking quashing of the order claiming that he has not committed the crime and done anything wrong.

His counsel Zubin Bharda said that the court of Justice S H Vora has suspended the punishment of the lower court to Hardik and also gave regular bail to him on similar conditions with which the lower court had also earlier given him bail for filing of appeal.

The court would now hear the final appeal later.

Notably, the lower court had in the case acquitted other 14 accused.

Police had filed a chargesheet against Hardik Patel and 16 others in March 2016 in the case.
Police had pressed the charges under sections 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety), 394 (causing hurt while committing robbery), 427 (causing damage to property) and 435 (using fire or explosives to cause damage) of Indian Penal Code and also under Gujarat Police Act against him and others.

They are accused of being part of a group of around 500 youths from the Patel community which vandalised the office of the BJP legislator, attacked journalists, and rioted on July 23, 2015.

“The group attacked a journalist who was recording the incident, broke video camera and injured him. They also looted a mobile phone worth Rs. 10,000 and set a car on fire,” the chargsheet alleged.