B'luru violence: HC to take up plea for appointment of Claim Commissioner on Aug 25

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ordered that the state government’s petition for recovery of losses from those who damaged public property during the recent Bengaluru violence be tagged with another related pending plea.

It also said the petition would be listed for hearing on August 25. The state government had on Wednesday moved the High Court seeking the appointment of a judicial officer as Claim Commissioner to recover losses from those who damaged public property during the riots that broke out in the city on the night of August 11 over an inflammatory social media post.

When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, the first bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi noted that there was another matter with similar prayers which also has to be heard and passed orders accordingly.

It said the court would take up the matter on August 25. The bench sought to know whether there was any specific recommendation for the judicial officer. In response, the government pleader said there was no such recommendation.The court then said it would appoint a judicial officer.

Three people were killed in police firing, while the fourth one succumbed to injuries in the hospital, to contain violence targeting Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy over a social media post put up by the legislator’s relative.

The rioters had also torched two police stations and some vehicles. Around 300 people have been arrested so far in this connection.