Bengaluru riots: Bail pleas of Naveen, others rejected

A city court has rejected the bail plea of Naveen Kumar P, whose Facebook post triggered the riots in KG Halli and DJ Halli on August 11.

It observed that Naveen is a habitual offender and the alleged offence in relation to the riots is serious. 60th Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Vidyadhar Shirahatti said the prosecution has placed prima facie materials against Naveen. The counsel for the accused said he has deep roots in the society and is unlikely to tamper with the evidence since the prosecution relies on digital evidence.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) P Prasanna Kumar said a series of incidents followed Naveen’s Facebook post and added that 67 FIRs were registered in the incidents of riot and all the cases are under investigation.

The SPP also said Naveen has criminal antecedence and at least six cases were registered against him in various police stations since 2007. A Meerut-based person has even declared Rs 50 lakh on Naveen’s head, the special prosecutor added.

Other cases

Meanwhile, another city court rejected the bail applications filed by several accused in cases registered in the KG Halli and DJ Halli police stations.

Dismissing the applications, 73rd Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Yamanappa Bammanagi observed that granting bail to the accused at the initial stage will hamper the fair investigation.

Hidayat Ali Khan, a resident of RT Nagar, had filed the bail application in connection with the case registered against him in the DJ Halli police station, while Mohammed Shahid, Aseem Pasha, Umrez Sharif, Tabrez Pasha, Mohammed Ifthikar and Mohammed Sadiq had moved applications in regard to the case registered in the KG Halli police station.