CBI files 9 charge sheets in Bangalore court clashes

The CBI today filed nine charge sheets including three against media personnel in connection with the 2012 clashes outside a Bangalore court during production of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy.
The agency filed its charge sheets before the special CBI court in Bangalore. Three of these are against media personnel belonging to three TV channels while four are against police personnel and rest of them are against various other actors of the clash, CBI sources said here today.
They said more charge sheets will be filed soon.
The charges levelled against three regional channels and their reporters are alleged criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony among others.

Last year, the Supreme Court had ordered CBI investigation into the clashes outside the Bangalore court during production of Reddy, saying inquiry by the agency was necessitated as the incident had occurred in a court complex.
The bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam had set aside a Karnataka High Court order constituting special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the matter and directed the CBI to investigate the case.

The bench, also comprising justices Ranjana Prakash Desai and Ranjan Gogoi, directed the SIT to immediately hand over all the records pertaining to the probe to the CBI.
On March 2, 2012, a scuffle had ensued between lawyers, police and media persons in a Bangalore civil court complex premises when Reddy, a former minister in Karnataka, was to be produced in connection with an illegal mining case.

The advocates had targeted journalists, particularly electronic media crew, who had gathered to cover Reddy's appearance before the court.
The advocates had objected to the presence of journalists inside the designated court room even before Reddy was produced. The lawyers had hurled stones, chairs and water bottles at police and public alike and torched some vehicles, including a police van.
Over 191 cases were registered in connection with the incident against police, advocates, media persons and others.