The Gujarat High Court today issued a notice to the state government over a plea filed by a close associate of Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel to quash a cheating case against him.
Justice J B Pardiwala of the high court today issued notice to the state government and the complainant- Punabhai Talaviya- on whose complaint the FIR was filed against Hardik aide Dinesh Bambhania, directing them to file their replies on or before December 9.
The high court directed the police not to take any coercive action against Bambhania till next hearing.
Bambhania had sought quashing of the FIR invoking IPC sections 406 (breach of trust) and 420 (cheating), which was lodged at Damnagar police station in Amreli district.
Bambhania's lawyer Babu Mangukia today contended in the high court that the FIR had been filed against his client at the behest of Gujarat government.
Talaviya, owner of Muralidhar Cotton Ginning Mill in Dhasa town of Bhavnagar district, has accused Bambhania of not paying Rs 1.10 crore for the cotton purchased from him in 2012-13.
A cheque given by Bambhania bounced, says the police complaint.
Talaviya's partner in a mill, Ashok Patel, had earlier said Bambhania had become untraceable until they saw him on TV sharing stage with Hardik at the Patel quota agitation rally held in Ahmedabad on August 25.
Bambhania is said to be with Hardik ever since they have launched an agitation to get reservation for Patel community under Other Backward Class (OBC) quota.
