Stampede fallout leads to court battle and government accusations
The Karnataka High Court has strongly criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for their role in the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people. The state government has accused the cricket franchise and its organizers of negligence, misrepresentation, and failing to follow basic legal procedures required for hosting a public event.
During a tense court session, the government alleged that RCB did not obtain official permissions and instead relied on social media to promote a “victory parade,” which led to massive crowding and chaos.
“On June 3, just an hour before the match began, they submitted a representation saying they ‘shall’ organise a victory parade. This was not a permission request—it was a mere intimation,” said Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty.
The stadium, which holds approximately 33,000, saw an overwhelming turnout of an estimated 3.5 to 4 lakh people. “It was as if they invited the whole world,” Shetty remarked, according to India Today. “They never clarified who would be allowed in. Their posts simply said all fans were welcome to cheer.”
Legal violations and poor crowd control highlighted
The government outlined several lapses by RCB and its partners:
- No official permissions obtained from the authorities
- Lack of crowd control measures or signage
- No proper barriers or security plans in place
- Promotion of the event as if it were public, while it was privately organized
“They are directly responsible for the deaths of the 11 people,” Shetty said. “This is in complete violation of law.” He further claimed the organizers tried to portray the event as a government function to avoid accountability.
RCB and DNA Entertainment under scrutiny
The High Court hearing also placed DNA Entertainment Networks, RCB’s event partner, under legal scrutiny. Justice SR Krishna Kumar noted that RCB and DNA are clearly named in a binding agreement and cannot avoid accountability.
While defense lawyers attempted to argue that employees like Nikhil Sosale—RCB’s marketing head—should not be held criminally liable, the judge reiterated that the organization as a whole had legal responsibilities it failed to meet.
CID investigation and Sosale’s alleged escape attempt
The state government has ordered a multi-level investigation, including:
- A judicial and magisterial inquiry
- Transfer of the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
- Suspension of several police officials
- Immediate appointment of a new police commissioner
Shetty made explosive claims about Sosale attempting to flee: “At 10:56 pm the air tickets were purchased by Nikhil and the flight was in the morning. He was trying to flee. There is no dispute about that.”
He further alleged that the event was conducted for publicity and that Sosale was apprehended at the airport while trying to abscond.
Court decision awaited on interim bail
The Karnataka High Court has reserved judgment on the interim bail applications. The verdict is expected on June 12 at 2:30 pm.
As the tragedy continues to dominate headlines, the incident raises critical questions about the accountability of IPL franchises like RCB and the role of governing bodies like BCCI in ensuring fan safety, legal compliance, and ethical conduct in large-scale public events.
