NIA arrests 17 SDPI and PFI leaders in connection with Bengaluru rioting case
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New Delhi, December 22: Taking the Bengaluru riots investigation further, National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 17 SDPI and PFI leaders and activists for their involvement in the violent attack and large-scale rioting in Bengaluru in August this year.
The new set of arrests come almost a month after NIA conducted a raid on 43 locations in Bengaluru including 4 offices of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) during which they nabbed incriminating evidence at the SDPI offices including swords, knives, and iron rods which have been seized by the agency.
NIA Arrests 17 accused persons in Bengaluru Riots Case. pic.twitter.com/HxG0N7pKOJ
— NIA India (@NIA_India) December 21, 2020
The investigation so far has revealed that the SDPI leaders, namely, Md Sharieff, President, Bengaluru District, SDPI, Imran Ahmed, President, KG Halli Ward, along with other senior leaders like Rubah Waqas, Shabbar Khan, and Shaik Ajmal had conducted meetings at Thanissandra and KG Halli wards in Bengaluru in the evening of August 11. Following the meet they conspired, mobilised, and led the crowd gathered at the KG Halli Police station to attack the police personnel, causing huge damage to the public and police station vehicles.
Similarly, accused Abbas, SDPI President of Nagwara ward had also mobilised a large crowd at the KG Halli police station through his associates Azil Pasha, Irfan Khan, and Akbar Khan. The investigation also revealed the use of social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp to spread terror among people and mobilised people from far away places to gather at the Police Station.
Accused Saddam, Sayed Sohel, Kaleemulla alias Shahrukh Khan were active social media users who participated in riots as well as instigated others to gather at the Police Station. NIA said, in the case, so far, 187 accused persons have been arrested and further investigation is continuing.
On August 11, an angry mob enraged over a derogatory social media post, had burnt down more than 60 vehicles as well as DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations in Bengaluru apart from the house of Congress legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy. Three people were killed in the police firing when cops were trying to control the riots. At least 60 policemen were injured in the violence.
The case was originally registered as FIR in KG Halli Police Station on 12th August this year and it was later re-registered by NIA on 21st September.