BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to submit R K Datta’s report on March 2 violence on the City Civil Court premises and directed all the news channels to give unedited clippings that were recorded during the violence.
The HC passed this order while hearing a PIL petition filed by one Ramya. The petitioner had stated that on March 2 there was violation of Article 19 1 (a) (freedom of expression) and sought a CBI inquiry into the incident.
The government counsel said the police collected all the evidence regarding the violence. However, the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera at KR Circle was not in working condition due to server problem from March 2 to 7, and complaints from advocates, media and public on the incident were registered.
The counsel for petitioner said, CID DGP R K Datta, in his report, stated that he could not identify anybody in the video and photographs that were collected, and requested for a further investigation. However, the state did not order further inquiry and transferred two police officers in connection with the incident.
According to the petitioner, more police officers were involved in the violence. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna, which is also hearing a bunch of PILs on the same issue, said March 2 incident was a complete failure in law and order situation. Commenting on the photographs produced by the government, the Bench observed, “Here two advocates are surrounded by policemen holding huge stones in their hands. These are advocates not terrorists.” The Bench further directed all the petitioners to club the PILs and make it one main petition for easy hearings.