Pramesh S Jain
In a massive development in the Bengaluru riots case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested 17 SDPI and PFI party leaders for their involvement in riots and large scale violence at the KG Halli Police Station on August 11.
The case was originally registered by KG Halli police which was taken over NIA in September.
The new set of arrests come almost a month after 43 locations in Bengaluru including 4 offices of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), were raided by the NIA.
The arrested accused are identified as Mohammed Sharieff,Mohd Ateef,Shabbar Khan, Irfan Khan,Azil Pasha,Akbar Khan,Sayyed Sohel Torvi,Saddam alias Kareem,Mohammed Kaleem Ahmed,Muhammed Mudassir Kaleem,Naqeeb Pasha,Kaleemulla alias Shahrukh,Imran Ahmed, Mohammed Azhar,Rubah Waqas,Imran Ahmed and Shaik Ajmal.
Investigation so far has revealed that the SDPI leaders,namely, Mohammed Sharieff,President, Bengaluru District,SDPI,Imran Ahmed,President, KG Halli Ward,along with other senior leaders like Rubah Waqas,Shabbar Khan and Shaik Ajmal had conducted meetings at Thanissandra and KG Halli wards in Bengaluru in the evening of 11.8.2020 wherein they conspired,mobilised and led the crowd gathered at KG Halli Police station to attack the police personnel,causing huge damage to the public and police station vehicles.
Similarly, accused Abbas,SDPI President of Nagawara ward had also mobilised large crowd at the KG Halli police station through his associates Azil Pasha,Irfan Khan and Akbar Khan.
Investigation also revealed the use of social media channels like Facebook,Instagram,Whatsapp to spread terror among people and mobilised people from far away places to gather at KG Halli Police Station.
Accused Saddam,Sayed Sohel,Kaleemulla@ Shahrukh Khan were active social media users who participated in riots as well as instigated others to gather at the Police Station says NIA press release.
During the raids,which took place on November 18,the NIA team collected incriminating evidence at the SDPI offices including swords, knives and iron rods which have been seized by the agency.
The NIA’s investigation comes under two broad cases that have been registered at the KG Halli and DJ Halli Police stations.The cases pertain to ‘large scale rioting armed with lethal weapons causing injuries to police personnel, destruction of public and private property including the two police stations which had become a hotspot during the violence, and intentions to cause terror in the society.’
SDPI’s role unearthed :
SDPI,which is the political front of the Popular Front of India (PFI) has been under the NIA scanner since the investigation agency unearthed links of Karnataka SDPI secretary Muzamil Pasha in the case.
The SDPI Secretary has been accused of calling a meeting and directing the members of PFI and SDPI to instigate the mob and incite violence at the KG Halli and DJ Halli Police stations which ultimately resulted in the death of 3 people and had left 60 police personnel injured.
Notably,as per the chargesheet filed by the Central Crime Branch,the police has also alleged that Congress corporators and Former Mayor,Sampath Raj and Zakir Hussain along with the SDPI instigated the Bengaluru riots.Sources have revealed that the NIA is now looking into an alleged ‘terror angle’ in the case.
Bengaluru Riots:
At around 8.30 pm on August 11, a riot-like situation was witnessed between the KG Halli and DJ Halli police station limits in East Bengaluru.A mob of more than 1000 people gathered outside the residence of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy demanding immediate action against his relative Naveen.
Soon,the police resorted to the use of force to contain the violence.By the time the situation was brought under control at around 1 am on August 12,three people were killed,nearly 60 police personnel.
Including,DCP Bhimashankar Guled was injured and over 300 vehicles were burnt in the violence.
So far,more than 340 persons have been arrested for arson,stone-pelting,and attacking the police.This includes Naveen and Kaleem Pasha,the husband of Congress corporator Irshad Begum.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa has announced that the state government would assess the damages caused to public and private property and recover the costs from the culprits.
So far, 187 accused persons have been arrested in the case and further probe is underway by NIA.
