#BengaluruRiots Police FIR names aide of top Congress leader and Congress corporator’s husband as the party’s link to the riot emerges

Congress link to Bengaluru riots has emerged with the police naming the husband of Congress corporator and a close aide of top Congress leader in its FIR. The Nagwara corporator Irshad Begum’s husband Kaleem Pasha has been named in the FIR filed by Bengaluru Police. Pasha is the 7th accused in the FIR which names him as one of the conspirators behind the arson, looting and damage of public properties by a Muslim mob on August 11.

The FIR reveal that five people led a group of 200 to 300 people armed with machetes, petrol bombs and other weapons. The mob was directed to hack cops to death. Another mob during the same time set fire to the house of Dalit MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy in Pulikeshinagar.

The accused Kaleem Pasha is a close aide of former Congress minister K. J. George. He was also seen in the group headed by KJ George on Wednesday which visited the riot hit areas. The police had not arrested him even though he had visited the police station along with KJ George.

The accused Kaleem Pasha is said to be absconding as he was not at home when the police came to arrest him on Thursday. Though his wife Irshad Begum is a BBMP corporator, it is Pasha who calls the shot, say locals.

The police have named 145 people so far in the FIR for causing the riots. Two SDPI leaders have been arrested in connection with the riots.