The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Gujarat government to file a charge sheet against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel, who has been booked for sedition, by 8 January.
The draft charge sheet prepared by the Gujarat Police was presented to a bench headed by Justice J S Khehar by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi. However, the bench refused to see it and asked the state government to present it by 8 January to a trial court.
The hearing for Hardik Patel's case is set for 14 January, reports TOI.
Patel was initially taken into custody by the Rajkot police for insulting the national flag. However, he has been in Surat's Lajpore central jail for the past three months after being accused of sedition for allegedly inciting followers to kill policemen.
Hardik had led the Patidar agitation in Gujarat seeking reservation for Patels.
Recently, the Gujarat High Court rejected the bail plea of three Patidar leaders considered close companions of Hardik — Chirag Patel, Ketan Patel and Dinesh Bhambaniya. The three leaders have been charged with sedition as well, reported Deccan Herald.
The state police have alleged that the three were heard inciting violence against the police and also inciting them to damage public property, same as the charges against Hardik.
