The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim protection from arrest to former Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel in a 2015 violence case.
A bench presided over by Justice U U Lalit sought a reply from the police on Patel's plea and put the matter for further consideration on next Friday.
Senior advocate A M Singhvi represented Patel.
As Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought to object to the protection, the bench asked, "You have done nothing for the past five years. What is the evidence gathered so far?" the bench asked him.
The court issued a notice to the Gujarat Police on a petition by Patel against the rejection of anticipatory bail plea by the Gujarat High Court in a case dating back to 2015 relating to violence during a Patidar rally in Vastrapur.
The court granted him protection till the next date of hearing.
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