The Karnataka High Court on Friday ordered that no precipitative action will be taken against officials of Karnataka State Cricket Association over the RCB’s IPL victory celebration stampede in Bengaluru. Hearing a petition challenging the legality of the FIR filed against KSCA, the court stayed precipitative action against the body till next hearing.
Order: By way of interim arrangement, the registry is directed to relist on June 16, without prejudice respondents are directed to not take any precipitative action against R2, 3, 4 subject to condition that petn cooperates with investigation/inquiry. #chinnaswamystadium
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) June 6, 2025
However, the court refused any interim relief for RCB Marketing Head Nikhil Sosale, who has been arrested by police. During the hearing, there was some confusing over who was the investigating officer in the case, as all the relevant police officers of the police station have been suspended by the state govt. While the petitioner said that the arrest was illegal and it was done on CM’s orders, Justice S R Krishna Kumar said that an arrest after an FIR has been filed can’t be called illegal.
The court added that even if the cop who registered the FIR has been suspended, the FIR remains valid. The court further added that the state must be heard before issuing any order. The court listed the matter for Monday.
There is an FIR. Once an FIR is registered, there is power of arrest. You will have to show arrest is illegal: HC
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) June 6, 2025
A day after 11 people died in stamped Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during IPL victory celebrations by RCB, Karnataka Police registered three FIRs against IPL team RCB, Karnataka State Cricket Association and event management firm DNA entertainment. 4 persons have been arrested in the matter, 1 from RCB and 3 from DNA.
Moreover, the state government has suspended the Bengaluru Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, and DCP of the central division and the Cricket Stadium in-charge have been suspended. Along with them, the Police Inspector, Station House Master and Station House Officer of Cubbon Park Police Station have also been suspended.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also announced the formation of one-man commission headed by retired Justice Michael D’Cunha appointed to probe the tragedy on Wednesday. The commission will submit a report on the tragedy in 30 days.
While announcing these steps, the CM had said that a decision has been taken to arrest those responsible for crowd management at the event. Following this, the arrests were made.
The case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for inquiry. The FIR against officials of the three entities have been filed under culpable homicide, criminal negligence and other serious charges.
Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 115 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means), 190 (liability of members of an unlawful assembly for offences committed in pursuit of a common object), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty), 125(12) (acts endangering life or personal safety of others), 142 (unlawful assembly) and 121 (abetment of an offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have been invoked in the case.
The Karnataka High Court has also suo motu cognisance of the incident and asked for a status report from the authorities.
