Court allows Hardik’s former aide Ketan Patel to become witness in sedition case

Ahmedabad: A local court here today admitted the plea of former aide of Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel, Ketan Patel to make him a witness in the sensational sedition case lodged by the crime branch here in October 2015 against four (originally six but two accused have not yet been framed) including him and Hardik in connection with wide-spread violence after the August 25 pro quota rally at GMDC ground here.

Ketan and other two accused in the case Chirag Patel and Dinesh Bambhaniya (All of whom were convenors of PAAS) had been granted conditional bail in the case by the High Court in April last year.

Counsel of Ketan Patel, Pankaj K Chauhan today said that the court of session judge H S Vora allowed the plea which was filed on July 27 seeking removal of the name of his client from the list of accused and making him witness from the prosecution side.

‘Ketan would now appear in the court as one of the witness and not accused’, he said.

In the case number 55/2016, now there will only be three accused; Hardik Patel, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Chirag Patel,’ he said.

Notably, Ketan, Chirag and Dinesh were lodged in Sabarmati central jail here after there arrest in the case and were released after getting bail. Hardik who was also accused in another case of sedition lodged in Surat got bail later in July last year.

Meanwhile, Ketan today said that in the plea he has submitted that it was Hardik who was running the agitation and he had nothing to do with the violence that took place owing to it.

DeshGUjarat