Gandhinagar: Government plea seeking withdrawal of a case against Hardik Patel has been rejected by the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Magistrate court. The court observed that quashing petition for this case was also filed in the Gujarat High Court, but no favor such as quashing of FIR or stay was granted. In such circumstances, the lower court can’t take the call. It’s worth noting that the charge-framing procedure in the case will start on 2nd May.

BJP Councillor from Vastral, Paresh Patel had filed a complaint against Hardik Patel and others over rioting and other offenses. According to FIR, a group of agitators provoked by Hardik had attacked Paresh Patel’s residence at around 2.00 am according to FIR registered on 2oth March, 2017. Paresh Patel had filed a complaint against Hardik and around 50 others and submitted CCTV footage of the incident before police. The accused including Hardik were booked under EPC section 34, 142, 143, 147, 149, 435, 120b, 294(b), 506(1).

According to FIR:

Councillor Paresh Patel lives in Astha bungalows in Vastral area. At 1.45 am he was in his bungalow with wife Sheetalben and father. His door was knocked with force. He woke up and saw that PAAS members Geetaben Patel, Mahesh Dadhi, Kiran Ratilal Patel, Akshay Bhuriyo, Nachiket Mukhi, Vipul Prahladbhai Patel, Pratik Ashokbhai Patel, Kaushal Chetanbhai Patel, Nikunj Bharatbhai Patel, Manoh Ambalal Patel, Ankit Premjibhai Patel, Sindhav Narsinhbhai Patel, Milan Prabhudas Suthar, Ankit Shantilal Patel, Rahul Patel alias Gandhi and 50-60 other persons were shouting and loudly saying that Paresh Patel must be pulled out of his home. They were using offensive words and issuing threat of murder.

Fearing a life threat, Paresh Patel didn’t open the door. Those in his compound therefore broke the nameplate outside the bungalow and burnt BJP flag before leaving the place. When Paresh Patel stepped outside the bungalow and asked his relative Babulal Jayshankar Joshi about this, he told that Hardik Patel was there outside the society with his Fortuner car GJ 01 RI 4766 and provoking others to bring Paresh Patel as he pushes people in jail. Even a watchman said that a person sitting in white color Fortuner car was provoking others. Society’s closed gate was forcefully opened and the watchman was pushed aside.

PAAS leader Hardik Patel, Hitesh Sarpanch, Gita Patel and others had visited Ramol police station to free Taka patidar. They thought Paresh Patel was responsible for this. While Hardik Patel and others escaped the place, police held around 10 persons from the group. Some of those in the group left their vehicles on the spot. Those who could be identified were Kiran Ratilal  Patel, Vipur Prahladbhai Patel, Pratik Ashokbhai Patel, Kaushal Chetanbhai Patel, Ankit Shantilal Patel, Nikunj Bharatbhai Patel, Manoj Ambalal Patel, Ankit Premjibhai Patel, Milan Prabhudas Suthar, Sindhav Narsinhbhai Patel all from Vastral and members of PAAS.