Bengaluru riots: Trial court sentences 3 accused to 7 years in jail after they plead guilty

A Special Court in Bengaluru hearing cases probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sentenced three men accused of involvement in the 2020 Bengaluru riots to seven years of imprisonment, after they pleaded guilty.

NIA Special Court Judge Kemparaju sentenced Syed Ikramuddin alias Syed Naveed, Syed Atif, and Mohammed Atif after they confessed to their involvement in the crime during the framing of charges.

The case concerns an attack on the DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations on August 11, 2020.

Syed Ikramuddin alias Syed Naveed, Syed Atif, and Mohammed Atif were listed as the 14th, 16th, and 18th accused, respectively in the case.

The trial proceedings for the remaining accused are yet to commence.

On August 11, 2020, a group of people assembled outside the KG Halli police station, demanding the immediate arrest of Naveen, the nephew of then-MLA Akhand Srinivas Murthy, for allegedly posting a derogatory message on social media about Prophet Mohammed.

As the crowd demanded prompt action and the filing of a case against Naveen and others, the police enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to manage the situation.

However, the agitated mob turned violent, leading to a riot which culminated in widespread property damage.

Several accused were subsequently booked under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The probe was later handed over by the police to the NIA.

Special Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar appeared for the State before the trial court.