Karnataka HC to look into better infra for NIA

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday said that it would look into the issue of providing better infrastructure to the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) Camp office here, if at all the investigation into two crimes, wherein the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act were invoked (the riots at DJ Halli and KG Halli), is handed over to the agency.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi passed the order after hearing the arguments of the petitioner’s counsel, who sought directions to hand over the probe to the NIA from the city police, and to provide the required infrastructure and staff to the investigating agency, and the Additional Solicitor General of India. 

In its statement of objections filed before the court, the NIA had pleaded that it presently only has a Camp office in Bengaluru -- consisting of an officer of DySP rank, one Inspector, one Sub-Inspector, one Constable and one Data Entry Operator. It is also stated in the case on hand (DJ Halli and KJ Halli riots) that the state police have arrested more than 370 suspects, requiring a team of experienced, well-equipped officers to continue with the investigation, who are less in number at the moment.

Special benches to monitor cases against legislators 
The High Court on Monday initiated suo motu proceedings to constitute special benches to monitor the progress of pending criminal cases involving former and sitting MLAs, MLCs and MPs.   
A division bench passed the order to the Registry to initiate suo motu petition and place it before the bench on Wednesday.  Directing the Registry to make the state and centre respondents, the bench appointed senior advocate Aditya Sondhi as amicus curiae to assist the court.