BENGALURU: The Centre has taken a decision to hand over the probe in the two cases where the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was invoked in relation to the Bengaluru riots to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the NIA counsel informed the Karnataka High Court on Friday.
The counsel made this submission before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi during the hearing of a batch of public interest litigations filed in relation to the violence that occurred in DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits over a derogatory Facebook post on August 11.
The NIA counsel told the court that he has received an oral communication stating that the Union government has taken a decision to hand over the probe in the two cases - one registered in the DJ Halli police station and the other in the KG Halli police station - to the NIA and orders are being passed to this effect.
Meanwhile, the Advocate General informed the court that the state government has complied with the orders of the court by issuing a notification appointing former judge of the High Court Justice HS Kempanna as claims commissioner to assess damages, investigate liability and submit a report to the court recommending compensation to the victims who suffered losses during the riots.
He also said that a nodal officer has been appointed to coordinate with the claims commissioner.