Govt plea to replace IO in court violence case rejected

Karnataka High Court today rejected an application filed by the state government seeking its permission to replace the investigation officer appointed by the court to probe the March 2 violence in city civil court complex.

The government in its application has sought the court permission to replace R K Dutta, the then DIG CID and now Additional Director CBI, with ADGP Law and Order Bipin Gopalakrishna. A division bench comprising Justice Ajit Gunjal and Justice B V Nagarathna rejected the application, observing that it had appointed Dutta in his individual capacity and he would continue. Roopak Kumar Dutta was appointed as the Investigating Officer to inquire into the violence that took place in the city civil court complex on March 2 in which some mediaperons, police personnel and advocates were injured.