Ex-Congress Mayor Sampath Raj, absconding for days, arrested in Bengaluru violence

BENGALURU: Congress leader and former Bengaluru Mayor Sampath Raj has been arrested in connection with DJ Halli and KG Halli violence case, Central Crime Branch (CCB) Joint Commissioner Sandeep Patil said. 

Notably, Raj, who is an accused in the case related to the recent mob violence in Bengaluru, had on October 31 gone missing after authorities at a Bengaluru hospital, where he was admitted for COVID-19 treatment, allegedly discharged him without informing the police.

Earlier, his lawyer had alleged a political vendetta behind the chargesheet filed against him in the Bengaluru violence case. His lawyer had said that the chargesheet had no material to prove any of the charges invoked in the matter. 

The CCB had last week filed a preliminary chargesheet in the August 11 violence, which took place in Bengaluru, naming Congress corporators AR Zakir and Sampath Raj as accused.

Violence had broken out in parts of Bengaluru on August 11 over an alleged 'derogatory' social media post. At least three people lost their lives, while nearly 60 police personnel were injured in the incident. 

The police arrested around 415 accused in connection with the violence.

An FIR was registered on the complaint of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy at DJ Halli Police station three days after the violence broke out in parts of Bengaluru over an alleged 'derogatory' social media post by his nephew, the police said.