Bengaluru violence: SC notice to Karnataka govt, others on plea against bail to former Mayor

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Karnataka government and others after hearing a plea filed by Congress MLA of Pulikeshinagar Constituency R Akhanda Srinivasamurthy, challenging the bail granted to former Mayor of Bengaluru Sampath Raj and former Corporator Abdul Raqueeb Zakir in the alleged East Bengaluru violence on August 12, 2020, which claimed lives of four people.

A bench of the Top Court, headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and also comprising Justice Hrishikesh Roy sought a response from Sampath and Abdul within three weeks.

The Karnataka High Court had granted bail on February 5 and 12 to both Sampath and Abdul in the alleged East Bengaluru violence case.

Challenging this order of the Karnataka High Court, the Congress MLA of Pulikeshinagar Constituency R Akhanda Srinivasamurthy had moved the Apex Court challenging the bail granted to Sampath and Abdul in the case.

Srinivasamurthy had submitted before the Supreme Court that though the accused had committed serious offences, they had been released on bail. "On what grounds they are granted bail," he said and sought quashing of the bail order of the Karnataka High Court.

The petitioner, Srinavasmurthy, said that the accused have been instrumental in mobilising persons to vandalise and burn down his house as also to create a communal situation.

"Sampath, who lost Assembly polls from the neighbouring, C V Raman Nagar Assembly constituency, harboured ill-will due to political reasons. The accused created unrest and law and order situation on the pretext of an alleged derogatory post by his nephew," he claimed in his petition.

Against Sampath and Abdul, a case was registered under various offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and others, for allegedly involved in the East Bengaluru violence case.

The prosecution said that at least 3,000 people allegedly went on a rampage in August 2020, setting ablaze houses of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA, Srinivasamurthy and his sister in connection with certain alleged inflammatory social media post by his nephew.

( With inputs from ANI )