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Journalism of Courage
Two days ahead of the March 23 deadline given by former Patidar quota agitation leader and now Congress working president Hardik Patel to the Gujarat government to withdraw pending criminal cases lodged against members of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) during the 2015 agitation, an official of Gujarat government Monday announced that instructions have been passed to withdraw 10 cases registered in Ahmedabad city.
Eight of these cases have already been withdrawn in the courts of sessions and judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) and orders are pending on two cases in the courts of JMFC, the official added.
Chief Public Prosecutor in Ahmedabad City Civil & Sessions Court Sudhir Brahmbhatt said, “Under the instructions of the state government, we had moved applications before the Metropolitan and Sessions courts to withdraw total 10 criminal cases.”
“Eight of these cases (seven before Sessions court and one before Metropolitan court) have been withdrawn as the courts have passed orders on them. Our applications seeking to withdraw two cases are pending before the Metropolitan Court. The 10 criminal cases are against total around 40 accused,” Brahmbhatt added.
These cases were registered with various police stations of Ahmedabad like Krushnanagar, Naroda, Ramol, Bapunagar, Ahmedabad railways, Ahmedabad city Detection of Crime Branch, Shaherkotda, Navrangpura and Sabarmati for charges of rioting under provisions of Indian Penal Code.
He added that a case registered with Ramol police station against Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and others was pending before metropolitan court and the court is likely to pass an order on application of case withdrawal on April 15.
According to Brahmbhatt, now all the cases registered against Patidar community members during the 2015 quota agitation in Ahmedabad city are over except the one of sedition against Hardik Patel and others.
Reacting to the development, Hardik said, “I request the community leaders to not over-praise the government over the decision to take back the cases… Of the 10 cases withdrawn, nine were announced by the then Anandiben government… it has been implemented now. Of these 10 cases, I am named in one, order in which is expected to come on April 15.”
Clarifying his point, Hardik added, “Back in 2016, former CM Anandiben announced the withdrawal of 246 cases against Patidar youth and today the order was finally implemented for just 10 of them.”
In February, Hardik had addressed a press conference in which he had threatened to launch a state wide agitation if the state government did not withdraw the pending cases against PAAS workers. He also said that the Patidar youths would stage dharna outside houses of Patidar community MPs and MLAs of the BJP, if they do not support the demand of dropping criminal cases.
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