Hardik Patel gets 2 years' jail for 'rioting' in 2015 Gujarat quota rally

AHMEDABAD: Three years after Hardik Patel's maiden quota rally in Gujarat's Visnagar, a district court on Wednesday held the Patidar agitation warrior and two others guilty of vandalising the office of a BJP MLA as the rally turned violent and handed them two years' imprisonment. The three were later granted a month's bail on condition they wouldn't enter Mehsana district.

Patel, who turned 25 on July 20 and is eligible to contest polls, said he was wrongly implicated. "This conviction is an attempt by the ruling BJP to stop me from contesting 2019's Lok Sabha polls. It is an attempt to ruin my political career and social life."

All through the trial, Hardik Patel, a Patel leader from Viramgam, claimed he wasn't present at the spot and was wrongly implicated in place of his namesake, Sardar Patel Group's Hardik Patel from Visnagar, because of political motives. Along with the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), Lalji Patel, president of PAAS's parent outfit Sardar Patel Group and another agitator, 68-year-old AK Patel, were convicted under various sections of IPC for rioting, unlawful assembly, damaging property and playing mischief by fire. While the court acquitted 14 others for want of evidence, it exonerated the three on charges of loot and causing injury to a person.

After the verdict, Additional Sessions Judge VP Agrawal granted bail to the three for a month by furnishing a bail bond of Rs 15,000. They will have to secure bail from the high court by August 27, and in case of failure, they will have to surrender, the court said. The court put the bail condition that Hardik can't enter Mehsana. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of the convicts, which they paid to the court.