BJP nominates 2002 riots accused from Anand LS seat

The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Anand Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat, Mitesh Patel, has declared in his poll affidavit that he was an accused in a case related to the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
Patel, 54, was earlier chosen by the BJP to fight against former Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki from the Anand Lok Sabha constituency of central Gujarat.
In his affidavit submitted to the election authorities on Tuesday, Patel mentioned that a first information report was registered against him at Vasad police station in Anand district in 2002 for engaging in arson, rioting, stone-pelting and theft, among other charges.
As per the affidavit, he was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 147 (rioting) 149 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 436 (arson), 332 (causing hurt to deter public servant), 143 (unlawful assembly) and 380 (theft).

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Patel also mentioned that the Anand sessions court acquitted him in September 2010. The case is now pending before the Gujarat high court as the state government filed an appeal in 2011 against his acquittal.

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