Bengaluru riots: Karnataka High Court directs govt to submit probe report

A Public Interest Litigation has been filed before the high court requesting a court-monitored probe by the National Investigation Agency into the riots in DJ Halli and K G Halli in Bengaluru.

The court has directed the state government to place on record the investigation report on the next date of hearing.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Sreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi heard two PILs on Monday in connection with the violence that took place on August 11. The petition requesting the NIA probe was filed by Girish Bharadwaj, a resident of Seshadripuram.

The petition contended that the attack appeared to be pre-planned in order to terrorise the public by creating law and order problems.

It stated that apart from offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the perpetrators have also violated the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020.

“As the state police force is also a victim of the violence, it is expedient and proper that the said incident is investigated by an agency other than the state police, preferably the NIA or any other reputed national investigating agency,” the petition requested.

Second petition

Another PIL has been filed seeking a judicial probe into the riots and directions to invoke the Karnataka (Control) of Organised Crime Act (KOCA) against the accused.

The petition filed by Bengaluru-based advocate Amrutesh N P requested the court for directions to constitute a special investigation team and also conduct a judicial enquiry commission headed by a former judge of the Karnataka High Court.

Meanwhile, the Additional Advocate General requested the bench to pass orders on the petition filed by the state government on the appointment of a Claims Commissioner to recover the damage from the perpetrators.

The bench orally said a separate order will be passed on the petition filed by the state government on the basis of the orders of the Supreme Court.

The bench posted the hearing to August 28 for considering the appointment of a retired judge of the high court or a retired judicial officer in terms of the Supreme Court order for fixing liability.

The court also issued notice to the state government on the other two PILs. “The state government shall place on record the steps taken in the investigation. A report shall be submitted in a sealed envelope by the next date of hearing,’’ the bench said.