Bengaluru riots case: NIA grills former mayor

Bengaluru, Nov 23: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Monday interrogated former Congress Mayor R Sampath Raj in the central prison here in connection with violence that rocked parts of the city in August.

NIA sources said a three-member team of the investigation agency questioned Raj in the Parappana Agrahara central prison where he has been lodged after his recent arrest by the Central Crime Branch Police, which is simultaneously probing the violence case. They said the agency obtained court permission to question the Congress corporator for two days to ascertain his role in the attack on two police stations.

The CCB police arrested Raj on charges of hatching the conspiracy for the violence on August 11 night. About 3,000 to 4,000 vandals set on fire the houses of Pulakesh Nagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy and his sister over a social media post by Murthy's nephew.

They also torched the Devara Jeevanahalli and Kadugondanahalli police stations. Three people were killed in the police firing while the fourth one died due to abdomen injuries in the hospital. Raj, Congress corporator from Devara Jeevanahalli municipal ward, has been charged with hatching a conspiracy for the violence to finish off the MLA politically in connivance with others.

The Congress has alleged that the former mayor has been framed on false charges to give a twist to the violence and defame the party.