FIR against Hardik for keeping mobile charger, battery inside jail

An FIR was registered on Thursday against Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel after police recovered a mobile phone charger and a battery from his possession in a Surat jail, where he has been lodged.

Police said they recovered the accessories, and also a letter, from Hardik’s possession on Wednesday when he was being escorted out to be produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate at Visnagar. The FIR was lodged at Sachin police station in Surat under section 188 of the IPC (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), as well as sections 43, 44 and 45 (12) of the Prison Act for receiving, bringing or removing prohibited articles from prison cells.

“When Hardik was being taken to Visnagar, where he was to be produced before a local court in connection with an FIR filed against him and others for rioting and assault, they recovered a mobile charger, a mobile battery and a letter from his possession,” said Sachin PS in-charge A S Brahmbhatt.

The development comes after the recovery of a cellphone last Saturday from outside the jail barrack where Hardik is lodged.