Stringent action initiated against Bengaluru violence culprits under UAPA Act: Karnataka CM Yediyurappa

The Karnataka government has also decided to approach the High Court for the appointment of Claim Commissioner as per the Supreme Court order.

File pic: Zee News

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday (August 17) chaired a meeting with Home minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior state government officials. The state government has decided to assess the damages caused to public and private property in the incidents of violence in KG Halli and DG Halli and recover the costs from the culprits. 

The state government has also decided to approach the High Court for the appointment of Claim Commissioner as per the Supreme Court order.

In a tweet, the Chief Minister said, "A Special Investigation Team has already been formed to conduct a detailed investigation in the matter and a team of three special prosecutors will be appointed for speedy trial of the cases. SIT will consider invoking Goonda Act if warranted."  

A Special Investigation Team has already been formed to conduct a detailed investigation in the matter and a team of three special prosecutors will be appointed for speedy trial of the cases. SIT will consider invoking Goonda Act if warranted. (3/3)

— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) August 17, 2020

In another tweet, he said, "Stringent action has been initiated against the culprits of DJ Halli and KG Halli violent incidents including invoking of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act - UAPA Act."

"Our Govt has decided to assess the damages caused to public & private property in the violent incidents in KG Halli & DG Halli & recover the costs from the culprits. We will approach Hon'ble High Court for appointment of Claim Commissioner as per Hon'ble Supreme Court order," he added.

Our Govt has decided to assess the damages caused to public & private property in the violent incidents in KG Halli & DG Halli & recover the costs from the culprits. We will approach Hon'ble High Court for appointment of Claim Commissioner as per Hon'ble Supreme Court order (1/3)

— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) August 17, 2020

Last week, the state government had decided to recover the loss caused to public and private property during the violence in parts of the city on August 11 night, by making rioters pay for it.

"It was resolved in the meeting to approach the High Court for appointment of Claim Commissioner as per the order of Supreme Court for the purposes of assessment of damages caused to private and public property and for recovery from the culprits," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.

The Chief Minister was briefed by the officers about the stringent action initiated against the culprits of D J Halli and K G Halli including invoking the UAPA.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadagi, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajanish Goel, DGP Praveen Sood, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant and other senior police officials.

Stating that a Special Investigation Team has already been formed to investigate the incident in a thorough manner, the CMO said a team of three special public prosecutors would be appointed for conducting the cases.

"The invocation of Goonda Act will also be considered by the SIT in the cases wherever the provisions are attracted," it said.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj S Bommai said the state government is contemplating banning Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI) for their alleged role in the riots which erupted in Bengaluru on August 11.

Bommai said the state authorities are collecting all information related to the involvement of SDPI and PFI in violence and will present a report before Chief Minister BS Yediurappa after getting all the evidence, adding that the Karnataka cabinet would then recommend to the Central government that the organisation be banned. 

The violence in D J Halli and adjoining areas on August 11 night was unleashed by hundreds of people over a purportedly inflammatory social media post allegedly put out by P Naveen, a relative of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy.

Rioters had torched Congress MLA's residence and a police station at D J Halli and they also set many police and private vehicles afire, looting the belongings of the legislator and his sister.