Hardik-aide Narendra Patel Moves Court, Files Complaint of Bribery, Intimidation Against BJP

Ahmedabad: A leader of the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) who had claimed that the BJP offered him Rs 1 crore to switch loyalties on Tuesday moved a court in Gandhinagar with a private complaint of bribery and criminal intimidation against five BJP leaders.

Narendra Patel filed the complaint before chief judicial magistrate R Trivedi against BJP's state president Jitu Vaghani, its youth wing president Rutvij Patel, its spokesperson Bharat Pandya, as well as former PAAS leader Varun Patel and Mahesh Patel.

Narendra Patel sought action against them under sections 171 (H) (illegal payment in connection with an election), 171 (C) (undue influence at elections), 384 (extortion), 417 (cheating), 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The court ordered him to appear before it tomorrow for verification.

In his complaint, Narendra Patel, who had on Sunday alleged before the media that he was offered Rs 1 crore a few hours after joining the ruling party and even displayed Rs 10 lakh, today told the court in his complaint that the BJP bribed him as part of criminal conspiracy.

He also alleged criminal intimidation against the leaders.

Narendra Patel further said that the BJP leaders tried to lure him away from the PAAS and purchase him "like a slave" by first offering him Rs 10 lakh and promising to offer him the rest of the money.

He said he is filing a private complaint as he has no trust in the police taking his complaint.

At the press conference on Sunday, Narendra Patel had showed Rs 10 lakh cash to mediapersons, claiming it was given to him as "advance" by former PAAS leader Varun Patel, who hadjoined the BJP on Saturday.

He alleged that the "entire deal was brokered by Varun". "He (Varun) told me that I will get Rs 1 crore. After meeting Vaghani at his house, I was taken to the state BJP headquarters on Sunday night where I was given Rs 10 lakh as advance by Varun. I was told that I will get the remaining Rs 90 lakh on Monday during a BJP function," Patel claimed.

He had said he followed Varun's instruction and joined the BJP just to "expose" the party. "I can never betray my community. The BJP can't buy me and my loyalty for the Patidar community," he had said.