The Gujarat government has withdrawn an eight-year-old criminal case involving Viramgam MLA and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hardik Patel in connection with a protest held during the Patidar reservation movement in 2018. The Ahmedabad District Court accepted the state government’s request to withdraw the proceedings, resulting in the acquittal of Patel and the other accused in the case.

The case, registered at the Nikol Police Station, was linked to a symbolic fast and protest organised by activists associated with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). The demonstration was held as part of the wider agitation seeking reservation for the Patidar community and a loan waiver for farmers.

The government’s decision to seek withdrawal of the case was presented before the court on the grounds of public interest and the need to maintain peace and social harmony. The development brings an end to legal proceedings that had remained pending for nearly eight years.

Case dates back to Patidar reservation agitation

The incident that led to the case took place in August 2018, when Hardik Patel was a prominent leader of the Patidar reservation movement. According to the case records, Patel and other PAAS activists gathered at Dayavan Farm in the Nikol area of Ahmedabad on August 19, 2018.

The gathering was reportedly organised in support of demands related to reservation for the Patidar community. The protesters also raised the issue of loan waivers for farmers, which had become an important part of the broader political discourse surrounding the agitation.

Police authorities alleged that the programme, including the rally and symbolic fast, had been organised without the necessary official permission. The gathering was subsequently stopped by the police, following which a case was registered at the Nikol Police Station against Patel and other participants.

At the time, the Patidar reservation movement had emerged as a major political and social issue in Gujarat. Hardik Patel had become one of its most recognisable faces, particularly among sections of the Patidar community demanding reservation benefits. 

State government seeks withdrawal of proceedings

After the case remained pending for several years, the Gujarat government moved an application before the court seeking permission to withdraw the proceedings against Hardik Patel and the other accused.

During the hearing, the government lawyer informed the court that the decision to seek withdrawal had been taken at the state government level. The application cited public interest and the importance of maintaining peace and harmony in society as the primary reasons for ending the prosecution.

The government also pointed out that the incident had not resulted in any reported physical or financial loss. The absence of such losses was presented as one of the factors supporting the request for withdrawal.

After examining the government’s submissions and the available records, the court accepted the plea. The court reportedly found no evidence suggesting any improper motive behind the government’s decision to withdraw the case.

Following the court’s approval, Hardik Patel and the other accused were discharged from the proceedings and acquitted in the case.

Legal development follows earlier arrest warrant

The latest development comes after another legal issue involving Patel in connection with the proceedings. An arrest warrant had earlier been issued against him after he failed to appear before the court.

Patel subsequently challenged the warrant before the Gujarat High Court. The warrant was later cancelled after he gave an undertaking that he would appear before the court in future proceedings as required.

The withdrawal of the case now brings the matter to a close, removing the long-pending legal proceedings arising from the 2018 protest.

From Patidar agitation leader to BJP legislator

The case also reflects the significant political transformation in Hardik Patel’s career over the past several years. Once a leading figure in the Patidar reservation agitation, Patel later entered electoral politics and joined the BJP.

He currently represents the Viramgam constituency as a BJP MLA. His political journey from a prominent protest leader to an elected representative of the ruling party has been closely followed in Gujarat’s political landscape.

The withdrawal of the 2018 case is therefore significant not only from a legal perspective but also in the context of Patel’s political evolution. The government has maintained that its decision was based on considerations of public interest and social harmony.

The case had originated during a period when the Patidar reservation movement was one of the most prominent social and political campaigns in Gujarat. With the court accepting the government’s withdrawal request, the proceedings related to the Nikol protest have now concluded after nearly eight years.