E-Paper
NIA raids 7 K’taka locations over 2020 B’luru riots case
During the searches, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the absconding accused persons, read the statement.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted searches in seven locations in Karnataka as part of the investigations into the attacks on the two police stations in Bengaluru’s DJ Halli and KG Halli in August 2020.
“Today (07.08.2021), NIA conducted simultaneous searches at 7 locations in Bengaluru City, Karnataka. Searches were conducted at premises of seven absconding charge-sheeted accused persons in RC-34/2020/NIA/DLI and RC-35/2020/NIA/DLI,” read an official statement.
During the searches, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the absconding accused persons, read the statement.
On June 16, the Karnataka High Court granted default bail to 115 people arrested in the case, while keeping on hold a trial court’s order extending the time to complete the investigation by another 90 days, saying it was legally unsustainable.
The NIA, after it could not complete the probe within the stipulated 90 days, had filed an application in the trial court for an extension under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967. The trial court allowed extension of further 90 days in November last year and the applications filed by petitioners for default bail were rejected in January this year. Subsequently, Pasha and other accused moved the high court.
The HC noted that the application filed by the prosecution requesting an extension of time for completion of the investigation, without notifying the accused, would frustrate their indefeasible right for statutory bail.
The riots were triggered by a Facebook post by Naveen P, nephew of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy from Pulakeshinagar constituency. On August 11 last year, a mob gathered in DJ Halli and KG Halli areas after police sought time to take action over a complaint filed against the post, which was termed derogatory to Muslims, as per the police complaint filed on August 11.
Pasha, an accused in the case, had approached the DJ Halli police station with this complaint against Naveen at 7.45 pm on August 11. The attacks began at 9.30 pm and ended in the early hours of August 12 after MLAs and other senior leaders gathered at the spot, according to the FIR. Four people were killed in the riots, according to police.
Police filed 68 FIRs in this case. In two FIRs, they invoked sections 15 and 16 (punishment for terrorist activity), section 18 (conspiracy to commit a terrorist act) and section 20 (being members of a terrorist organisation) of the UAPA. This was the largest number of people ever charged under the UAPA for a single incident of violence in Karnataka. The Bengaluru Police slapped the stringiest charges against the accused just days after a fact-finding committee, led by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Aravind Lambavalli, demanded an investigation by NIA.
The central agency then took over the investigation into the case on September 11, 2020.
