BENGALURU : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested 17 Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)/Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders and activists in the DJ Halli and KG Halli arson case (RC- 35/2020/NIA/DLI). SDPI is the political wing of the PFI.
"The investigation so far has revealed that SDPI leaders Mohammed Sharieff, president, Bengaluru district, and president, KG Halli ward, Imran Ahmed, along with senior SDPI leaders Rubah Waqas, Shabbar Khan and Shaikh Ajmal had conducted meetings at Thanisandra and KG Halli wards on the evening of August 11, in which they conspired, mobilised and thereafter, led the crowd to KG Halli police station and attacked police personnel, caused huge damage to public and police vehicles," said the NIA.
"The SDPI President, Nagwara ward, Abbas had also mobilised a large crowd at the KG Halli police station through his associates Azil Pasha, Irfan Khan and Akbar Khan," the Central counter terror agency added.
"The NIA investigation has also revealed that the accused -- Saddam, Sayed Sohel and Kaleemulla alias Shahrukh Khan -- misused social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to spread terror among people. The accused participated and mobilised people from distant places to gather at KG Halli police station for the purpose of creating violence and damaging public and private properties," the NIA stated.
The agency on November 18 had conducted searches at 43 locations in Bengaluru, including at the four offices of SDPI in the rioting case, in which three people lost their lives in police firing.
So far, 187 accused were arrested in the August 11 arson in which thousands of people had damaged and burnt down DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations, public and private property and torched the house of Congress MLA from Pulakeshinagar, Akhand Srinivasamurthy, after his nephew Naveen allegedly posted a sacrilegious post on a social media platform.