Rioting case: HC stays arrest of Guj NCP MLA till tomorrow

In an interim relief to NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja, the Gujarat High Court has put a stay on his arrest till tomorrow in a case of rioting at a petrol pump at Ranavav in Porbandar district.
Justice A G Uraizee stayed his arrest till December 27 after giving an urgent hearing to him last night at his bungalow, considering his ground that being a newly-elected MLA he had to complete assembly formalities.
Jadeja was arrested on December 21 for allegedly rioting at Ranavav police station along with his supporters. A local court had granted him interim bail in the matter.

While out on bail, he allegedly attacked three persons at a petrol pump on Sunday (December 24), after which another FIR was filed against him and his supporters.
Police had lodged an FIR against Jadeja and five others for allegedly beating up three persons at a petrol pump that belonged to his rival, Samat Gogan, and damaging properties there.
An FIR was filed against Jadeja and five others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 504 (intentional insult), 427 (mischief causing damage), among others, the police official said.

Jadeja has moved an application in the high court seeking quashing of the two FIRs filed against him at Ranavav police station in Porbandar district within days after his election as the MLA of Kutiyana assembly constituency.

The application is expected to be taken up for hearing tomorrow.
Jadeja is the only MLA from the NCP to win the assembly elections in the state this time. He won from the Kutiyana assembly constituency for the second time in a row by defeating his nearest rival, BJP's Lakhmanbhai Odedara, by over 23,000 votes.