Bengaluru riots: Police names Cong corporators in charge sheet

Bengaluru, Oct 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Bengaluru police's Central Crime Branch, which is probing the Bengaluru riots case triggered by an alleged insidious social media post, has filed a preliminary charge sheet, naming former Congress mayor R. Sampath Raj and Congress corporator of Pulakeshinagar, Abdul Rakeeb Zakir as accused.

CCB sources said that both Congress leaders have been named in the 850-page preliminary charge sheet filed on Monday, but did not divulge further details.

Raj and Zakir had been questioned earlier, but were not arrested so far. However, the CCB arrested Raj's personal assistant Arun Kumar on August 19 for allegedly remaining in touch with alleged conspirators of the riots.

Three people were killed after police opened fire on the night of August 11 to quell a mob that went on to commit arson and looting in K.J. Halli and D.J. Halli police limits.

The rioters were irked over a social media post allegedly put out by a Congress legislator's relative.

Several people, including around 50 policemen, were injured in the violence, while Pulakeshi Nagar MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy's residence and a police station at D.J. Halli were among those targeted by the angry mob.

The house of the MLA, who was not at home at the time, was allegedly set on fire by the angry mob. The rioters also torched many police and private vehicles, badly damaged the house and looted the belongings of Murthy and of his sister.

As many as 421 persons were arrested in this connection, including the Social Democratic Party of India leader Muzammil Pasha.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency is also probing the matter, and has also arrested the prime accused in the case.

Source: IANS