Non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Hardik Patel

Ahmedabad: A court in Visnagar issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Hardik Patel (24) after he failed to appear before it for the second consecutive time in a case of vandalising the office of a BJP MLA during the quota stir in 2015.

The warrant was issued against Hardik, convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), and six others including Sardar Parel Group (SPG) convener, Lalji Patel, by Visnagar sessions court judge V.P. Agarwal.

Hardik and others are accused of ransacking the office of Visnagar MLA Rishikesh Patel during the protest rally of Patidar community in July 2015.

Hardik and others had in the past secured bail in the case.

The leader, through his lawyer Rajendra Patel, moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance citing his busy schedule, today. The court however, rejected his plea.

While the PAAS convener failed to appear before the court for second time, including today, Lalji Patel and others remained absent for the first time.

The same court had earlier rejected Hardik’s plea seeking entry into Mehsana district, the epicentre of the quota stir. The young leader had requested the court to allow him to enter the district by relaxing the bail conditions prescribed by the Gujarat High Court.

The Patidar community under Hardik has been agitating for reservation in government jobs and education.

The quota spearhead has been criticising the ruling BJP for not accepting the demands of the community. Of late, he has intensified his attack against the BJP as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi in run-up to the Gujarat polls, scheduled to be held in two phases in December.