Surat court accepts Gujarat govt’s plea to withdraw case, acquits Hardik Patel, others in sedition case

The Surat Sessions Court on Friday accepted the Gujarat government’s application to withdraw a sedition case, leading to the acquittal of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Kathiriya, Vipul Desai and Chirag Desai.

With the court allowing the plea, all four accused have now been cleared of charges under the serious offence of sedition that was registered at Amroli police station.

The decision comes nearly a decade after the Patidar reservation agitation that swept Gujarat in 2015 and had wide repercussions across the state and the country.

Prominent leaders, including Hardik Patel, Gopal Italia, Alpesh Kathiriya and Reshma Patel, emerged during the movement. However, during the agitation, multiple cases—ranging from disturbing public order to sedition—were registered against the Patidar leaders and activists.

Since then, Patidar leaders had consistently demanded the withdrawal of these cases. Ten years later, the state government has finally granted relief, resulting in the acquittal of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Kathiriya, Vipul Desai and Chirag Desai in the sedition case.

In 2015, when the Patidar reservation agitation was at its peak, the Amroli police in Surat had registered a sedition case against Hardik Patel and Alpesh Kathiriya. The case stemmed from an alleged statement made by Patel during the agitation.

A case under IPC Section 124A (sedition) was registered against Patel, Kathiriya and others.

However, after the state government assured the withdrawal of cases related to the Patidar agitation, an application was recently filed before the Surat Sessions Court to withdraw this case. The court accepted the plea, resulting in the acquittal of all the accused.