The Central Crime Branch of Karnataka Police filed a preliminary charge sheet on Monday in connection to the Bengaluru riots of August 2020. In the 850-page charge sheet, the CCB has named 52 people as accused. There are statements of more than 30 eyewitnesses. The investigating agency has named former Mayor Sampath Raj and Zakir Hussain of the Congress Party as accused number 51 and 52, respectively.
As per the reports, the personal assistant of Sampath Raj, Arun Kumar, was arrested by CCB. The investigation agency found out that he made over ten calls to SDPI leader Muzammil Pasha and others. Pasha and several others are among the accused in the riots case. As per the CCB investigation, SDPI and Congress leaders were behind the riots. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also filed two FIRs in the case under IPC, UAPA, and Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
The background of Bengaluru riots
On 11th August 2020, at around 8:30 PM, a riot-like situation took place between the DJ Halli and KJ Halli police station limits in the east Bengaluru. As per the reports, more than 1000 people gathered outside the house of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, demanding immediate action against his relative Naveen, who allegedly posted objectionable content against Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. The situation came under control on 12th August around 1 AM. Three people were killed, and more than 60 police personnel were injured. More than 300 vehicles were damaged in the riots.
The investigation agencies have arrested more than 340 people for arson, stone-pelting and attacking police. Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, while talking to media, said that his house was set on fire. On 17th August, CM BS Yediyurappa said the state government would recover the cost of damage to public and private property from the culprits.