Congress demands release of ‘innocent people’ booked in Bengaluru riot case

Senior Congress leader and Karnataka’s Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah appealed to the state government to take immediate steps to release “innocents” who were arrested in connection with the Bengaluru clashes triggered by a Facebook post by an upstart BJP leader offensive to Muslims.

“The Bengaluru police have arrested more than 400 persons in this connection and we all know that the police have picked up some innocents too. The Congress party is not arguing on behalf of accused persons, we are for the innocents. Let the police examine every possible evidence in this case and act impartially,” Siddaramaiah said.

He was speaking after the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker allowed the discussion on the no-confidence motion on Saturday.

On Thursday, The National Investigation Agency said it arrested Sayed Saddiq Ali, an absconding alleged conspirator in the attack on a Bengaluru police station on 11 August 11. The NIA carried out searches in 30 locations in Bengaluru as part of its investigation into the conspiracy behind the agitation triggered by an objectionable social media post on Prophet Mohammed.

The Bengaluru police had registered 65 cases and arrested over 350 people in connection with the incident which left four Muslims dead, three of them in police firing.

Congress leader also said that the entire Bengaluru riots case is a clear case of the failure of police and intelligence department.

He said: “The police should have taken immediate steps to contain riots. When accused Naveen posted derogatory post in afternoon and when some Muslim leaders went to complain, the police should have taken immediate steps. Delayed action by the police itself is the main reason for the riots going out of control.”

Earlier many politicians and Muslim community leaders in the city accused BJP government and its police of arbritarly arresting Muslim youths on false charges.