Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy moves SC against bail to 'architect' of Bengaluru violence

Congress MLA of Pulikeshinagar Constituency R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, whose house was torched in violence in East Bengaluru in August, last, has approached the Supreme Court challenging bail to an accused, saying he was the principal architect of the conspiracy behind the riots.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ajay Rastogi on Friday issued notice to Yasir Mohammed Hamid, who is brother of former Corporator Abdul Raqueeb Zakir, another accused in the case.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat and advocate Rajesh Inamdar, appearing for Srinivasa Murthy, contended that the accused was a principal architect of the conspiracy behind the violence. The counsel also pointed out the single bench of the High Court by its order of February 12 ignored the parameters of bail as the accused belonged to an influential family of the area. The accused had remained absconding until the High Court's division bench on December 22, 2020 sought to know from police about action taken in apprehending them.

"On the pretext of the alleged derogatory remarks made by the nephew of the petitioner on social media, the accused instigated people from the Muslim community to create unrest in the law and order situation, and communal disharmony, with the sole object of bringing disrepute to the petitioner," the petition filed by advocate Amit Pai claimed.

The court sought a response from the accused, represented by senior advocate S Nagamuthu. It tagged the matter with a pending petition against the bail granted to former Mayor of Bengaluru Sampath Raj and former Corporator Abdul Raqueeb Zakir in the case.

The violence on August 12, 2020, which claimed lives of four people.

The case related to offences under the IPC, as well as the Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act, 1981, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Around 3,000 to 4,000 people went on a rampage in August last year, setting ablaze the houses of Congress MLA Srinivasa Murthy and his sister over an alleged inflammatory social media post by his nephew.

The mob also torched Devara Jeevanahalli and Kadugondanahalli police stations and 57 police vehicles, and about 181 private vehicles, over suspicion that the nephew was present there.