Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 9: Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday October 7, home minister Dr V S Acharya sought to hold the media responsible for Riaz's escape. "He has not absconded. For shying away from the excessive coverage and media glare, he has gone out of the state," he claimed.

"Media speculates that he gave the polciemen a slip, as information about him had been leaked. This is not true. Even before the government could extract information from him, the media had branded him a terrorist and published various stories and theories about him. Under pressure exerted through unwanted publicity, he chose to go out of the state for some time," he explained.

"The policemen have been able to access certain important informations while investigating the serial blasts. But we are unable to divulge all the information publicly at this point of time. Only investigations will establish about the guilt or otherwise of Nasir alias Riaz. It is wrong to call him a  terrorist now," Acharya said, expressing his resentment at the media coverage.

Acharya also sought to allay the expectations that Karnatka Control of Organised Crimes Act would be resorted to by the government in the case of terror suspects. He said, that it is not possible to implement the said act in its present form, as it needs to be reviewed. "The union home minister has asked the government to make effective use of the Criminal Procedure Code, rather than resorting to the said act. In view of this, we will conduct an in-depth study before doing anything, and we are not in a hurry," he concluded.