Gujarat: Portal editor granted bail by sessions court

Patel was charged under Indian Penal Code Section 124 A for sedition and Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act (punishment for false warning) by the Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) on May 11 for “trying to create unrest in society”.

A sessions court on Wednesday granted bail to the editor of a Gujarati news portal, Dhaval Patel, who was slapped with sedition charges over a speculative political news report. He was lodged at Sabarmati Central jail since May 14.

Patel was charged under Indian Penal Code Section 124 A for sedition and Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act (punishment for false warning) by the Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) on May 11 for “trying to create unrest in society”, for allegedly writing and publishing a report on his portal on May 7 titled “Mansukh Mandaviya called by high command, chances of leadership change in Gujarat”.

Additional sessions judge Prerana C Chauhan held that for the charge of sedition to hold true, intent to cause hatred or create disaffection has to be examined and following a reading of FIR with all police papers and different statements, “no such prima facie serious offence is looked out.” Patel was represented by Gujarat High Court advocate Anand Yagnik.

The court also took note of the direction given by the Supreme Court for disposal of bail application in various cases to exercise its discretion in favour of Patel. He was released on a personal bond of Rs 50,000.

Public prosecutor S R Brahmbhatt, representing the state, had argued, “When the country is going through pandemic situation and the state government machineries are trying their best to control the situation, during such crucial period the applicant has tried to instigate and create a feeling of hatred in the minds of the people against the Chief Minister and also tried to spread rumour, false news and mislead the people of the state by creating panic in public.”