Karnataka government withdraws 2022 Hubballi riot cases against AIMIM leaders

The Congress-led Karnataka government has decided to withdraw criminal cases against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Mohammed Arif, and 138 others, who were accused of leading a mob that attacked the police and threatened to break into the police station.
They were also accused of inciting violence during the Hubballi riots in April 2022.
The cases against them included criminal charges such as attempted murder and rioting, which have now been dropped despite objections from the prosecution, police and the department of law.
In October 2023, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had written to the Additional Director General of Police to withdraw these cases and reconsider the charges. Following Shivakumar’s recommendation, the home department was tasked with gathering relevant case information, including FIRs and witness statements.
The withdrawal of the case has received strong backlash from the Opposition, with the BJP accusing Congress of trying to appease the Muslims.
BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar said: “Cong government is doing appeasement politics. It is supporting terrorists and withdrawing cases against them. While cases on farmers and students are pending, cases on anti-India elements will be withdrawn.”
The unrest in question began on April 16, 2022, following the posting of a derogatory image on social media depicting a saffron flag atop a mosque. This sparked outrage within the Muslim community, leading to a large protest outside the Old Hubballi Police Station.
What started as a demonstration quickly escalated into violence, with thousands of individuals reportedly participating in a riot that resulted in the injury of four police officers and significant damage to public property.