Synopsis: Two matters related to the riots were transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at an earlier hearing.
On 13th November, the Karnataka High Court ordered the police to take all possible measures to track and arrest Sampath Raj, the former mayor of the town, in connection with the Bangalore riots that took place on 11th August.
This direction was passed by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Vishwajith Shetty after it was provided that Raj, against whom a non-bailable warrant was issued, is on the run.
The court further ordered the investigating officer to send a report outlining the measures taken to locate the accused by the next date of the hearing.
The court is hearing petitions from the National Investigation Agency and some other Central Investigation Agency seeking the transfer of the inquiry into the incident.
Two matters related to the riots were transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at an earlier hearing.
Raj, a sitting Congress Corporator, has been accused of instigating the mob.
On 11th August, near DJ Halli Police Station in East Bangalore, a mob of about 300 people gathered to protest an allegedly negative Facebook statement on Prophet Mohammed posted by one P Naveen, nephew of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy. Eventually, violence broke out between the crowd and the police, leading to the shooting and death of three people. Several policemen and journalists were wounded, too.
During the hearing on Friday, the court was told of the infrastructure and facilities provided by the Claims Commissioner, Justice HS Kempanna. While going through the same, the court found that a contractor outsourced the vehicle furnished to Justice Kempanna.
The court observed that the Claims Commissioner, who is a former High Court Judge, cannot be at the mercy of the contractor, wondering why the Claims Commissioner did not obtain a State car.
The court continued to note that a contracted worker was the judgement writer assisting the Commissioner and indicated that, given the delicate nature of the matter at hand, a retired court official would be more appropriate.
“We have serious doubts as to whether it is possible to hire workers on a contractual basis,” the Bench said.
The case will be heard next on 23rd November.