Hardik's aides approach HC against sedition FIR

Three close aides of Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today moved the Gujarat High Court seeking to quash the charges of sedition and "waging war against the government" invoked against them by the city crime branch.
The ruling on Hardik's own petition against another FIR, filed by Surat police, which also includes the grave charge of sedition, is likely to be pronounced on October 27.
Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) members Chirag Patel, Ketan Patel and Dinesh Patel filed the petitions through advocate B M Mangukiya. Justice J B Pardiwala is likely to hear them on Monday.
The petitioners were arrested outside the high court on October 21, when they had come to the court in connection with a habeas corpus petition alleging that Hardik Patel had been abducted by some people who looked like policemen last month.

The three were produced before a metropolitan court which sent them to the custody of the crime branch for a week.
The FIR names six persons: Hardik Patel, Ketan Patel, Chirag Patel, Dinesh Patel, Alpesh Kathiria and Amrish Patel.
They are charged under IPC sections 121 (waging war against the government), 124 (sedition - bringing hatred, contempt or disaffection towards the government), 153-A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 153-B (assertions prejudicial to the national integrity).
The FIR, lodged by ACP K N Patel, claims that Hardik and his aides instigated the community to adopt violent means to "wage war" against the Gujarat government, and relies on transcripts of telephonic conversations and speeches of PAAS members, allegedly instigating violence, on August 25-26 and later.