NIA arrests absconding accused in Bengaluru police station rioting case

Bengaluru: The NIA has arrested an absconding chargesheeted accused in the Bengaluru police station riots case, an official said on Tuesday.

The premier investigation agency, in a joint operation along with the Karnataka Police, arrested accused Tabrez (35), a resident of Old Bengaluru Layout, Bengaluru City on Monday.

The case was registered on August 12 last year at Devarajeevanahalli Police Station, Bengaluru city under sections of the IPC, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act.

On August 11 last year, a mob protesting against the alleged derogatory social media (Facebook) post about Prophet Mohammed posted by one Naveen had turned violent and attacked the police station with dangerous weapons and stones and burnt police vehicles and damaged government and private properties.

The NIA took up the investigation and filed a chargesheet before the NIA Special Court, Bengaluru under various sections of the UA(P) Act, IPC and Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act (KPDLP Act) against 109 accused people in February this year.

Tabrez is a member of Sagaipuram ward, SDPI, a political outfit of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and was involved in hatching the conspiracy to attack the DJ Halli Police Station and had instigated many others on WhatsApp groups, the NIA official said.

He was also found involved in burning vehicles and damaging public/private property, the official said, adding that further investigation is continuing.