RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale gets no urgent relief from Karnataka High Court. Court seeks State’s reply before deciding on arrest challenge in stampede case.
Bengaluru: Today, on June 06, the Karnataka High Court on Friday passed an important order in the tragic Bengaluru stadium stampede case that killed 11 people and injured 56 others.
The Court stopped the authorities from taking any coercive action against the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), giving big relief to its officials, who were named in the FIR.
Also Read: RCB Stampede| Karnataka State Cricket Association Moves High Court to Challenge FIR
The FIR was filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, accusing the KSCA, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and event management company DNA Entertainment Private Limited of “criminal negligence.”
The stampede occurred on June 4 outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during a public celebration organised to felicitate the RCB team for winning the IPL Season 18.
Thousands of fans gathered after it was allegedly announced that entry would be free. The crowd turned uncontrollable, leading to a stampede that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries.
While passing the order, Justice SR Krishna Kumar directed that
“No precipitative be taken against management of Karnataka State Cricket Association till the next date of hearing, subject to condition that they shall cooperate with the investigation.”
The judge also instructed the KSCA officials to fully support the investigation and not leave the court’s jurisdiction without permission.
The KSCA had earlier clarified that it was not involved in the chaos that led to the stampede. Instead, it blamed the state government, RCB, and the event organisers for the disorder.
Also Read: CID to Probe Bengaluru Stadium Stampede That Killed 11: Karnataka Govt Tells High Court
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on the same day also heard a petition filed by RCB’s Marketing and Revenue Head Nikhil Sosale, who was arrested on June 6 at Kempegowda International Airport.
He challenged the arrest, calling it illegal and a violation of his rights. However, the court refused to grant him any immediate relief.
Justice SR Krishna Kumar remarked,
“I will have to go chance [to the State]. Any matter wherever a person is in custody … which is moved at 2:30, I am not passing order without giving a chance. I cannot do it right now.”
The senior lawyer appearing for Sosale said that his arrest was unlawful because it was done by an officer who was only in charge temporarily, and was based on a cabinet decision, not on investigation findings.
the counsel added,
“The officer who registered the FIR has been suspended,”
The Court, however, asked why the officer’s suspension should matter in this case. In reply, the lawyer said the arrest was still wrong since it was done on the Chief Minister’s verbal order and without proper investigation.
Sosale argued in his petition that the arrest violated his basic rights under Article 19 of the Constitution and went against natural justice.
His petition stated,
“It is clear from the timing of the Petitioner’s arrest, which is evidently the result of an oral directive of the Hon’ble Chief Minister to arrest various RCB officials – that too, in the absence of any investigation whatsoever – that the Petitioner’s arrest is motivated and an attempt to shift the blame of the tragedy to RCSPL and its officials.”
Advocate General Shashi Kiran requested the court to give him time to respond to the petition. The matter was then adjourned for detailed hearing on the upcoming Monday.
The FIR in the case was registered by the Cubbon Park Police Station against Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), Sosale, and other officials.
The Karnataka government also set up a one-member commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice John Michael Cunha to investigate the incident.
In a separate development, the Karnataka High Court has also taken suo motu (on its own) notice of the incident and asked the State government to submit a detailed status report.
This matter will be taken up for hearing on June 10.
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