Gujarat High Court judge recuses from hearing Alpesh Kathiriya bail plea

The single-judge bench of justice RP Dholaria on Thursday recused himself from hearing a bail application of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti's (PAAS) convenor Alpesh Kathiriya who is behind bars in connection with a sedition case lodged with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in 2015 after widespread violence broke out across the state during Hardik's quota stir.

Kathiriya had moved the high court after the city sessions court refused bail to the PAAS leader in the case. During the hearing, on Thursday, Justice Dholaria said "Not before me" and ordered the high court registry to place the matter before another bench for hearing.

Notably, the lower court had rejected the bail plea of Kathiriya on the ground that the offence committed by Kathiriya was a grave one and he had kept himself hidden for the past three years. The court had also pointed out that a mere undertaking by the accused that he would resort to peaceful means for his agitation is not enough to grant him bail. Kathiriya's lawyer had then argued that the case against him was politically motivated. Interestingly, Kathiriya's bail was one of the demands raised by PAAS leader Hardik Patel during his recent 19-day fast