Find out if Hardik Patel's video is genuine, Gujarat High Court tells EC

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday directed the Chief Electoral Officer and the Home department to look into the genuineness of the alleged 'sex' video of PAAS convenor Hardik Patel that had gone viral on November 15 and dismissed the PIL.

Vadodara's Jagate Raho Party's Praful Desai through a PIL had contended that the four clippings that have gone viral on social media after polls were notified and related counter allegations can influence voters, hindering free and fair polls. It stated that as the EC or the Home Department were yet to take a suo moto action of investigating it, he had moved the PIL requesting probe by a retired HC judge.

Desai stated that as Hardik Patel has claimed that these videos were doctored, the clipping should be sent to the FSL to verify their genuineness. While in one video, Hardik or a man looking like him is seen having good times with a movie, while in another he is seen with two other men and a woman having drinks in a hotel-like room. The video seems to be either recorded by one of his friends or through someone using a hidden camera. After hearing the petitioner, while dismissing the petition, the first division bench of chief justice R Subhash Reddy and justice Vipul Pancholi said that if the agency or EC find if the video was doctored, action in accordance with law should be taken against the accused.