Justice R P Dholaria of the Gujarat High Court today recused himself from the hearing of Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel's discharge application in a sedition case lodged in 2015.
When the discharge plea came up for the hearing, Justice Dholaria said, "Not before me."
The case would now be assigned to another judge.
Hardik had approached the high court in April this year after a lower court in February rejected his plea seeking discharge from the sedition case, lodged by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch against him in connection with the violence during the Patidar quota agitation in August 2015.
In April, when the case came up before Justice Z K Saiyad, the judge issued a notice to the state government. After Saiyad's retirement, the matter was assigned to Justice Dholaria.
Hardik Patel, convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), has sought discharge on the ground that there was no concrete evidence against him.
Hardik was accused of inciting violence with the intention to dislodge the government after a rally addressed by him turned violent in August 2015. At least 13 people died in subsequent violence.
High court granted him bail in June 2016.
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