Bengaluru: Former BBMP mayor R Sampath Raj named accused in DJ Halli riots case

Bengaluru: Former BBMP mayor and sitting Congress corporator R Sampath Raj has been named an accused in the DJ Halli and KJ Halli violence by the Central Crime Branch probing the violence over an 'inflammatory' social media post.

According to the CCB, Sampath Raj is said to be among those who had information about the violence but chose not to reveal it to the police.

Police had twice questioned him for several hours along with Pulakeshinagar Congress corporator Abdul Rakeeb Zakir, but did not arrest them.

Raj's personal assistant Arun Kumar was arrested earlier for his links with the accused in the violence.

The violence triggered over the social media post began on August 11. The rioters went on a rampage and set the basement of the DJ Halli police station on fire and burnt vehicles. More than 300 people have been arrested in the case. The National Investigation Agency is also investigating the matter.

The police, in order to quell the violence opened fire that had resulted in the killing of three people on the spot and another dying a few days later.