The Gujarat Police have filed a chargesheet against Patel community leader Hardik Patel in a case of rioting and assault registered against him and 16 others at Visnagar town in July last year.
According to official sources, the chargesheet was submitted before a judicial magistrate, A. Rana, in Visnagar in the presence of Hardik Patel, who was taken there from Lajpore jail in Surat.
They are accused of being part of a group of around 500 people from the Patel community who allegedly vandalised the office of BJP legislator Rishikesh Patel in the town, attacked journalists and went berserk on the streets on July 23 when the job quota agitation was at its peak.
"The group attacked a journalist who was recording the incident, broke his video camera and injured him. They also looted a mobile phone worth Rs.10,000 and set a car on fire," the chargesheet says.
Police have pressed the charges under sections 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety), 394 (causing hurt while committing robbery), 427 (causing damage to property) and 435 (using fire or explosives to cause damage) of Indian Penal Code and also under Gujarat Police Act against him and others.
Patel's lawyers said they would file a bail application in the court in a few days. Patel is also facing sedition cases in Surat and Ahmedabad.