Mehsana

A court in Gujarat on Thursday has sentenced Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and 12 others to three months imprisonment and a fine under section 143 Indian Penal Code (IPC) over a 2017 case of carrying out Azadi march without permission.

MLA Jignesh Mevani, Reshma Patel, Kaushik Parmar of National Dalit Adhikar Manch, Kaushik Parmar, Subodh Parmar including 10 others have been sentenced to three months imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1000. Out of the total 12 accused, 1 accused has died and the other accused is a fugitive.

Soon after the verdict, Mevani said, "We organized a freedom march in Mehsana to mark the first anniversary of Una Kand. I along with Reshma Patel have been sentenced to three months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1000. We were told that we would be acquitted in a simple matter like not getting permission for a rally. I respect the judiciary and we will appeal to the Sessions Court. I hope, I will get justice in this matter."

Mevani and his associates led an 'Azadi Kooch' from Mehsana to Dhanera of the neighbouring Banaskantha district in 2017.

In 2017, the Mehsana police registered a case of unlawful assembly against Mevani and others under Section 143 of the Indian Penal Code.

On May 4, after having served a jail term of 9 days in Assam, Mevani threatened a Gujarat Bandh on June 1 if the 2022 exam papers leak is not probed, if cases lodged in Una (against Dalits), Vadgam, north Gujarat against those fighting are not withdrawn and strict action is not taken into the matter of drugs found at Mundra Port.

He appreciated the judiciary for terming FIR filed against him for assaulting a policewoman as "frivolous".

Earlier, the Gujarat MLA was granted bail by a court in Assam. He was arrested in connection with his purported tweets against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mevani was arrested by an Assam police team from Palanpur town in Gujarat over a couple of his tweets.

The Assam state Congress unit had protested the arrest of the Gujarat legislator. Elected as an independent MLA, Mevani had extended his support to Congress in September 2019.