Ahmedabad: Succumbing to pressure following a threat by Patidar agitation spearhead and now Congress leader Hardik Patel, the Gujarat Government has withdrawn at least 10 criminal cases against Patel youngsters during the 2015-2017 Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS)’s quota stir.
While most cases withdrawn were related to minor offences, the serious one of sedition against Hardik Patel continues.
The move by the State Government, which was earlier adamant, comes in the wake of the assembly elections this year being fought by the ruling BJP under a Patidar community chief minister Bhupendra Patel.
According to Public Prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt, the applications were submitted in different courts for withdrawal of cases going by the directions given by the State Government to various District Collectors.
While a sessions court here allowed withdrawal of seven cases, the city metropolitan magistrate court allowed the withdrawal of three more cases, dealing with sections 143, 144 (unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt), among other sections of the Indian Penal Code, he said.
Brahmbhatt claimed that with these cases, no case related to the Patidar agitation was pending in the Ahmedabad Sessions Court, barring a sedition case against Hardik Patel.
The Public Prosecutor said a metropolitan court might issue an order on April 15 regarding withdrawal of a criminal case against Patel and others registered in Ramol police station in Ahmedabad.
Speaking to this reporter, Hardik Patel asserted again that the Congress would launch a statewide Patidar agitation if the pending criminal cases were not withdrawn.
