Former Congress Mayor Sampath Raj, accused in Bengaluru violence, granted bail
Bengaluru, Feb 12: Former Congress Mayor R Sampath Raj, who was in judicial custody for nearly three months in connection with the East Bengaluru violence on August 12 that left four people dead, was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on Friday.
The single judge bench of Justice John Michael Cunha granted bail to Sampath Raj.
The Congress corporator from Devara Jeevanahalli municipal ward was arrested in Bengaluru on November 17 2020.
Around 3,000 to 4,000 people went on a rampage on August 11 last year, setting ablaze the houses of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA R Akhanda 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 over suspicion that the nephew was present there.
Three people were killed in police firing while another person died due to abdominal injuries suffered in the violence.
In the charge sheet, Sampath Raj was charged with hatching a conspiracy for the violence to finish off the MLA politically in connivance with another Congress corporator and some others.
The Corporator and his aide were also arrested.
Police had accused Sampath Raj of remaining in touch with the masterminds throughout the widespread arson and violence.
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Car driver alleges assault by auto drivers after minor road incident in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a suspected case of road rage, a car driver was allegedly chased and assaulted by two autorickshaw drivers following a minor road incident on Sarjapur Road here, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred on March 25 around 8.20 pm when Shriraj Bhardwaj, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, and his colleague were driving on Sarjapur Road and allegedly encountered an autorickshaw coming from the wrong side of the road, they said.
The victim later lodged an online complaint regarding the incident on March 26.
A senior police officer said that in this connection, a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) has already been registered at the Bellandur Police Station and further investigation into the matter is underway.
Registration of NCR means the complaint has been noted in the station diary, but a formal FIR and investigation will require further legal steps or magistrate approval, police said.
Following the incident, Bhardwaj took to 'X', recalling the episode and claiming that it began with a negligible touch between the vehicles that caused no damage.
"What followed was not an argument, it was a chase. The auto driver started aggressively chasing us, trying to block our car multiple times in moving traffic, hitting the vehicle, and attempting to open the doors. We chose not to engage and instead tried to reach a safe place," he alleged.
According to him, the situation escalated when another autorickshaw joined the chase. Together, they allegedly blocked their path near Sarjapur Bridge, and one of them picked up a concrete stone and smashed the windshield of his car while they were still inside.
"We somehow managed to reach RGA Tech Park, thinking a gated office space would mean safety. It didn't. Both drivers followed us inside. Before I could even step out of the car, I was physically assaulted, repeatedly hit in the face, leaving me injured," he alleged.
"Only after things calmed down did the main accused flee. When the police arrived, the second driver apologised in front of them," Bhardwaj further alleged.
He said that following the incident, he has made up his mind to leave Bengaluru and never return.
Bellandur police said they have registered a non-cognisable report and traced the autorickshaw driver.
"The complainant is yet to record his statement for further action. We have been trying to contact him but he informed us that he is out of state. Further inquiry into the matter is underway," the officer said.
The auto driver, however, has alleged that his vehicle was damaged and that he was asking them to stop the car to resolve the issue, but they did not stop, which led to the incident.
