The Supreme Court on Thursday (14 January) asked Gujarat Police to submit the English translation of the charge sheet filed against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel for allegedly instigating his followers to commit violence and attack policemen.
The court order for translated copies of the charge sheet came as senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Patel, said he was supplied with a copy of the charge sheet in Gujarati and requested an English translation of the same.
He also told the court that Gujarat Police has provided a CD of the video footage of the incident alleged against Patidar leader which was password protected and not provided the password.
Asking the state police to furnish the translated copies to the court and Sibal, a bench of Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice C. Nagappan asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgoi to assist the court in dealing with the cases involving large scale violence and arson.
Sibal had earlier told the court that even if they accept as true what has been alleged by the Gujarat Police, it still does not make an offence of sedition, a charge which the state police has slapped on Patel besides for other offences.
The court, meanwhile pointing out large scale violence, arson and destruction of public property has become “order of the day”, said that party in power may have constraints in dealing with such situations and the precisely in such situations, can the court intervene and deal with the matter.
As Rohatgi told the court that he would “start working on it”, the court asked Gujarat Police to submit the translated copies of the charge sheet by January 27 as it directed the next hearing of the matter on February 3.
The charge sheet relates to a Surat incident wherein the Patidar leader was caught on camera telling one of his followers that instead of committing suicide, he should take revenge on policemen.
The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti is seeking reservation for Patels in education and jobs.
