Former Congress mayor sent to two-day police custody

Bengaluru: Former Congress mayor R Sampath Raj who was arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement in the violence at DJ Halli and KG Halli, was sent to a two-day police custody on Tuesday. Sampath was named 'absconding accused' by the CCB in an interim charge sheet filed on October 12. A special team tracked him down to a friend's house in Benson Town where he had been hiding, said the police.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said, "Sampath Raj who had been absconding since October 14 was arrested on Monday night. We have subjected him to a detailed interrogation. Further questioning would continue after producing him before a local court. "In the case that was transferred to the CCB, 53 accused have been arrested so far. Special teams have been formed to arrest the accused."

As per charges, Sampath Raj, the Congress corporator from Devara Jeevanahalli municipal ward, was the conspirator in the violence in which the house of Pulikeshi Nagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy at Kaval Byrasandra was burned by a rampaging mob. Sampath Raj escaped from a private hospital where he got admitted for Covid-19 treatment.

According to the police reports, around 3,000 to 4,000 people attacked Devara Jeevanahalli and Kadugondanahalli police stations and torched them over an alleged inflammatory social media post by Murthy's nephew Naveen. While three people were killed on August 11 night in the police firing, another person succumbed to injuries a few days later.

The recent development comes days after the CCB team arrested Raj's close aide Riyazuddin for harbouring the accused. Police got the information that Riyazuddin had taken both Raj and Abdul Rakeeb Zakir (Pulkeshingar ward Congress corporator) to a farm in Nagarhole a few days ago. On reaching the spot, Riyazuddin was arrested from the same farm.