Pending disposal of the appeal, Additional Sessions Judge AB Bhojak stayed the sentence of Congress leader Jignesh Mevani. The Gujarat Congress working president also secured conditional bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000.
Mevani had filed an application in the city sessions court challenging the six-month jail sentence and fine imposed by the Metropolitan Court last month. The Dalit leader and 18 others were convicted for holding protests in 2016, demanding that an under-construction building of Gujarat University be named after Dr BR Ambedkar.
The agitators were convicted for illegally assembling and inciting the protests held at Vijay Crossroads on November 15, 2016. The police chargesheet quoted witnesses as saying that the protests caused traffic disruption. It was also alleged that they were shouting slogans and removing their clothes which was an obscene act.
The Metropolitan Magistrate, after convicting Mevani, adjourned the sentence for a month to allow him to appeal against his sentence.
This is the second case in which Mevani has been convicted. In May, the Mehsana Magistrate Court sentenced him to three months in jail for holding a rally without police permission in 2017.
In December 2017, Mevani contested the assembly elections and won as an independent candidate from the Vadgam seat. In July this year, Mevani was appointed as working president of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee.
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