Guj HC grants bail to PAAS leader Alpesh Kathiriya in sedition case

The Gujarat High Court Tuesday granted bail to Patidar quota agitation leader Alpesh Kathiriya in a sedition case filed here in 2015.

The court of Justice A Y Kogje granted bail to the leader of the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) on grounds of parity with other accused in the case who are out on bail.

However, Kathiriya will remain in jail as he was Monday arrested by Surat crime branch in connection with two cases, one of sedition, and another under section 307 (attempted murder) of the IPC, both filed in Amroli Police Station in 2015. He was arrested on a transfer warrant from Sabarmati Central Jail where he is currently lodged.

The police Tuesday did not seek his remand and the PAAS leader was sent to Lajpore Jail in Surat.

He along with PAAS convener Hardik Patel, members Dinesh Bambhaniya and Chirag Patel were accused in cases of sedition filed against them after the August 2015 quota agitation that caused wide-spread violence in different parts of the state, leaving fourteen people dead.

While the other three were arrested and subsequently released on bail by the high court, Kathiriya was shown as an absconder by the police.

He was arrested in August this year after being detained along with Hardik when he was on his way to take part in a symbolic protest fast.

He was later lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail, from where he has been taken to Surat on transit remand.

While arguing for his bail in the high court, his lawyer opposed the Gujarat government's argument that Kathiriya was absconding all this while and trying to evade arrest.

His lawyer told the HC that Kathiriya, during this time, continued to practice as a lawyer.

Kathiriya was accused by the state government of playing a key role in Patidar quota agitation that led to violence.