The violence in Bengaluru on August 12 last year in which Dalit Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s house and two police stations were torched was a larger conspiracy by the Social Democratic Party of India to create communal disharmony in the country, the NIA said in its charge sheet filed recently in a special court here.
The National Investigation Agency took up the investigation after a person moved the Karnataka High Court demanding a probe by the agency.
The agency has named 247 people as accused in the case, according to NIA sources.
The 301-page charge sheet details how the leaders of SDPI, a political group formed in June 2009, planned to use a provocative post by the relative of a prominent politician to stoke communal riots in the KG Halli and DJ Halli neighbourhoods of Bengaluru.
“The SDPI in Bengaluru was unhappy with the decisions of the Central government on certain matters i.e, repeal of Article 370, issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), Supreme Court verdict on Babri Masjid case, Triple Talaq, etc. They were waiting for an opportunity to create communal disharmony in the country,” according to the charge-sheet.
Three people died after a mob went on a rampage in reaction to a communally charged Facebook post by a relative of Pulakeshinagar Congress legislator, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy.
The agency said SDPI cadres were well prepared to respond to any situation and to execute their plans for a violent attack. Accordingly, on August 11 afternoon, Fairoz Pasha posted a video and audio clip, it said.
The comments in English made blasphemous and utterly derogatory comments on Hindu Gods and Goddesses,the charge sheet said.
Fairoz then tagged Naveen in the post.The post provoked Naveen to respond in a similar aggressive manner against the Prophet, the NIA stated.
After noticing Naveen’s reply, Fairoz approached the Muslim community members and organisation leaders for lodging complaint against him and pressurise the police and government to act against Naveen, it said.
The post was widely circulated in WhatsApp and other social media accounts to hold him accountable for the violence.
