Bengaluru Riots : Karnataka HC Directs Police Take Steps To Trace And Arrest Former Mayor Sampath Raj

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty directed the investigating officer probing the crime no 219/2020, to file Report on steps taken to trace the accused in a sealed envelope before the court on the next date of hearing, November 25.

Advocate N P Amruthesh appearing in person argued that the police have not been investigating the case properly and the accused has been absconding from the hospital where he had been admitted for undergoing treatment for Covid-19.

However, the government counsel informed the court that there is no laxity on the part of the Investigating Officer and the accused has filed an application seeking anticipatory bail which is pending.

Following which the bench said "It is pointed that though he (accused) has applied for anticipatory bail application, no order is passed protecting him from arrest. He is a prominent politician and Ex-mayor of Bengaluru. There is substance in grievance made across the bar about the delay in arresting this accused."

The bench also directed the state government to provide better infrastructure to Retired Justice H S Kempanna appointed as the claims commissioner, to estimate and investigate the damages caused on account of the destruction of property, which occurred within the limits of D.J. Halli and K.G. Halli Police Station limits, on August 11.

The court said "The government order states that it will provide a car on rented basis, thus the judge will be at the mercy of the contractor. We can't find why a state owned car is not provided. Staff provided to the commission will be by outsourcing, considering the very nature assigned to judge, some secrecy is attached to the work and therefore we have serious doubt that staff on contract basis can be appointed."