The City Sessions court on Friday deferred the hearing for framing of charges against Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel and two others in a sedition case to next month. While Hardik and Chirag Patel appeared before court, another accused in the case, Dinesh Bambhania, was not present. Hardik's lawyer sought adjournment of the hearing as his application seeking discharge from the case is pending before the Gujarat High Court, and is likely to be heard on October 9. Sessions judge DP Mahida accepted the defence lawyer's request and deferred the framing of charges to October 12. Earlier, the court witnessed heated exchanges between the prosecution and defence. The government prosecutor took objection to Bambhania's absence, and told the court that one or the other accused was remaining absent from the hearings to delay framing of charges. The court too expressed displeasure at Bambhania's absence. However, his lawyer told the court they had no intention of delaying the proceedings, and assured that Bambhania would remain present at the next hearing. The sedition case against Hardik and others dates back to 2015. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch had registered the case against Patel and his associates for allegedly instigating violence "with the intention of dislodging the government" during the Patidar quota agitation in August 2015. Fourteen Patidars had lost their lives in the violence. Hardik, who is out of bail in the case, had moved the high court in April this year after the lower court rejected his discharge application. The sessions court had accepted the prosecution's argument that there was evidence against him in the form of speeches, conversations and forensic records. LEGAL BATTLE

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