Hearing in sedition case against Hardik to begin

The hearing in the sedition case against quota agitation leader Hardik Patel is all set to begin soon in a sessions court here after he engaged a lawyer today.
A charge sheet was filed against Hardik in January.
Hardik, who is currently lodged in Surat in two different sedition cases filed against him by Ahmedabad and Surat police, was today produced before Sessions Judge S H Oza here where he informed that he has engaged Rafik Lokhandwala as his lawyer.
Accordingly, his lawyer Lokhandwala filed his 'vakalatnama'. The court will wait for three other accused in the case--Chirag Patel, Ketan Patel and Dinesh Patel--to engage their lawyer before strating the proceedings.

The court has fixed May 31 as the next date for hearing.
Hardik is currently lodged in Surat's Lajpore jail after his bail plea in local courts in Surat and Ahmedabad were dismissed and the matter is currently being heard in High Court.

His three aides--Chirag, Dinesh and Ketan-- were granted bail by the High Court after they gave a written undertaking stating they will not indulge in any activity that may case law and order problem.
All four were arrested in October last year and are facing similar charges under sedition and criminal conspiracy that were filed by Ahmedabad Crime Branch police.

Hardik and three others have been charged with IPC sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy).
They are accused of inciting violence to mount pressure on the government for accepting the demand of reservations for the Patel community.