SC stays conviction of Congress chief Hardik Patel in rioting case

By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the conviction of Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel in a rioting and arson case.

A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and Vikram Nath mentioned it is a match case for the excessive court docket to have stayed the conviction.

At the outset, senior advocate Maninder Singh submitted that not permitting Patel to contest election is a violation of his proper to freedom of expression.

“It is a violation. I have already lost one chance to contest the election in 2019. We are before your lordships to get our rights under Article 19(1)(a) to be enforced. They have misused the police power. Therefore, I don’t know what they have to say, but my lords must decide this case soon,” he mentioned.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the fundamental parameters for conviction are set.

“In criminal law, there is no one standard guideline to say which one is right. Your lordship may decide the issue. Whether Patel might have won or not, is not the issue in this case,” he mentioned.

The bench then handed the order and mentioned,”Having regard to the facts and circumstances, we are of the view that this is the fit case for the high court to have stayed the conviction. The conviction is, hereby, stayed until the appeals are decided accordingly.”

The prime court docket was listening to a plea filed by Patel towards the judgment of the Gujarat High Court in search of suspension of the conviction in order that he may contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Patel had sought a path to droop the conviction order handed on July 25, 2018, by a classes court docket in Mahesana in Visnagar.

He had additionally challenged the validity of the excessive court docket’s order of March 29 refusing his plea for a keep on the conviction.