Ex-Congress Mayor accused in Bengaluru riots case is absconding: Police
Bengaluru: Former Mayor and sitting Congress corporator R Sampath Raj, an accused in the case related to the recent mob violence here, is 'absconding' after being discharged from a hospital where he underwent treatment for COVID-19, police said on Friday.
Police learnt about the discharge of Raj, accused of instigating the violence here in August when Assistant Commissioner of Police Venugopal visited the hospital on Thursday.
"Yes, he is absconding. We are looking for him," Venugopal, who is investigating the case, told PTI.
According to police, Venugopal had issued a notice to the hospital authorities on October 7 asking them to inform police before discharging Raj.
However, the hospital had discharged him without informing the police, following which another notice had been issued to its authorities, they said.
Over 3,000 people went on a rampage on August 11 torching the residences of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, his sister, and the D J Halli, and KG Halli police stations here over an inflammatory social media post by the relative of the legislator.
In its charge sheet filed earlier this month, police had accused Raj of instigating the mob against the MLA to finish him politically.
The police have arrested over 400 people, including the Social Democratic Party of India leader Muzammil Pasha, in connection with the violence in which three people were killed in police firing and one died due to injuries.
The National Investigation Agency is also probing the case simultaneously and has arrested two conspirators.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP Cong chief Ajay Rai hospitalised after fainting, stable
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was hospitalised here after he fell unconscious due to low sodium levels, party leaders said on Saturday.
They said he was admitted to Medanta Hospital on Friday evening and is stable.
"Ajay Rai was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 pm on Friday after he fell unconscious as his sodium levels had dropped. He fell unconscious at his residence in Lucknow. For the entire day, he was engaged in party programmes and had also gone to the airport," Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi told PTI.
Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told PTI, "Now, he (Ajay Rai) is stable and I am also reaching Lucknow."
Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor told PTI that Rai collapsed at his home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the hospital's emergency ward.
Medical examinations revealed that Rai was suffering from a sodium deficiency and elevated blood pressure. Doctors administered immediate treatment and he is doing significantly better now, Kapoor said.
A team of doctors is monitoring his health. Rai is conversing with others and his condition is stable, he added.
In a post on X late Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Rai a speedy recovery.
Rai hails from Varanasi and had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Modi from the parliamentary constituency. The Congress appointed him as the Uttar Pradesh unit chief in 2023.
