State seeks death for 6 in IISc attack

BANGALORE: The Karnataka high court on Monday admitted a criminal appeal filed by the state government seeking maximum sentence (death penalty) for the six accused in 2005 IISc terror attack in which a professor had been gunned down.
The state has also challenged the acquittal of these persons under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Sections 153 A and 153 B of the IPC.
A city fast track court had convicted Mohammed Razhur Rehaman of Nalgonda (Andhra Pradesh), Afsar Pasha (Kolar), Mehaboob Sab Ibrahim Chopdar (Bagalkot), Noorullah Khan, Mohammed Irfan and Nazmuddin (Kolar) and sentenced them to life under Sections 120(B), 121 (waging war against the state)and 121 A (conspiracy related to waging war) of IPC. Some of them were also held guilty under Sections 5 and 6 of Explosive Substances Act as well as Arms Act.
However, Chand Pasha from KG Halli, charged with conspiracy, was acquitted.
Meanwhile, the accused who have filed separate criminal appeals, challenging their conviction, withdrew their application seeking suspension of sentence and bail after a division bench headed by Justice DB Bhosale refused to grant it at this juncture.
Directive to state on roster
Justice Ram Mohan Reddy on Monday directed the state government to furnish the roster chart relating to reservation/rotation for mayor/deputy mayor posts of all city corporations, including Bangalore, for the next five terms.
"You always fix this based on convenience," the judge observed when the government told the court that ST category will get reservation in the short run.
Ravindra Kumar, a corporator from Mysore, has challenged a February 25, 2012 government notification claiming that Scheduled Castes have been given representation twice overlooking the interest of Scheduled Tribes.
Notice to State, DGP
A division bench headed by Justice K Sridhar Rao has ordered notice to the state government and the DG& IG on a PIL alleging that police officials were being transferred at the whims and fancies of elected representatives.
The petitioner, Akhila Karnataka Police Mahasangha, has claimed that most of these transfers are done at the behest of mostly the ruling party legislators.