Vandalism case: Non-bailable warrant issued against Hardik Patel

TIL Desk/National/Ahmedabad/ A sessions court in Gujarat on Wednesday issued non-bailable warrant against Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel after he failed to appear before the court in a case related to vandalising a BJP legislator’s office in Visnagar from where the quota agitation was launched in 2015.

A case was registered against Mr. Hardik Patel, leader of the stir, and 17 others in 2015 for ransacking the office of Rushikesh Patel during a protest rally.“I have attended all hearings in the court regularly,” Mr. Patel, who heads the Sardar Patel Group, told reporters in Mehsana district.

Another warrant had been issued against another leader Lalji Patel, who questioned the timing contending that at a time when anti-BJP atmosphere was prevailing ahead of the Assembly polls, the Patidar leaders were being targeted by the authorities.

Dinesh Bambhania, a close aide of Mr. Hardik Patel and key member of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), also slammed the Gujarat BJP government for making attempts to put Mr. Hardik Patel behind the bars before the Assembly polls.