Hardik Patel arrested for evading sedition case trial
Ahmedabad: Congress leader Hardik Patel was arrested on Saturday night from Viramgam taluka in Gujarat's Ahmedabad district for failing to appear before a trial court here in a 2015 sedition case, hours after a warrant was issued against him. Patel's arrest was confirmed by DCP Rajdeepsinh Zala (cyber crime).
"We have arrested Haridk Patel from near Viramgam after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. We will produce him before the court tomorrow," Zala said.
Patel had been previously arrested in connection with a sedition case filed by the local Crime Branch after violence broke out during a rally by the Patel community in Ahmedabad on August 25, 2015.
The quota leader was granted bail in July, 2016, and the court had, in November 2018, framed charges against him and other accused in the case.
On Saturday, Additional Sessions Judge B G Ganatra issued an arrest warrant against Patel, after accepting the government's plea against an exemption application moved by the Patidar leader's lawyer. The prosecution told court the accused intended to delay the trial by seeking regular exemption from appearance.
The court also observed that Patel, who has to be cross-examined in the case, was flouting bail conditions by not remaining present regularly with the intention to delay trial.
Patel had joined the Congress ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
