Ahmedabad: A local court here today fixed September 15 as the next date of hearing on the bail petition of Hardik Patel’s aide Alpesh Kathiria in the sedition case lodged here in connection with the violence after August 2015 Patidar quota rally by the crime branch of Ahmedabad police.

The session court ADJ Dilip Mahida heard the argument of defence today and fixed next date of hearing on September 15. Prosecution is likely to put forth its argument on that day.

Kathiria’s lawyer during his argument today alleged that the sedition case was politically motivated and lodged on the instance of the BJP government in the state and his client must be granted bail.

Notably Kathiria, a native of Surat, was arrested on August 19 here. He was arrested initially with Hardik and seven others while trying to go to Narol area for a symbolic fast and was granted bail in that matter with others only to be arrested again in the sedition case lodge by the crime branch here in October 2015.

Hardik, who was also arrested earlier in this case and granted bail by Gujarat High Court, had made release of Kahiria one of the main issues during his indefinite fast that ended today.

DeshGujarat