Karnataka High Court Reserves Order On RCB's Petition After State Concludes Arguments

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday reserved its order in the petitions filed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and its marketing head Nikhil Sosale, challenging the criminal proceedings in connection with the stampede deaths that occurred during the team's IPL victory celebrations. The order will be pronounced on Thursday at 2:30 pm.

Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Sandesh Chouta reiterated that while certain companies have been named as accused, individual employees like Sosale were being targeted without specific charges. The counsel questioned the basis of police action against the individuals, alleging that proper procedure was not followed during arrests.

Advocate General (AG) Shashikiran Shetty, representing the State, began his response by tracing the timeline of events following RCB's IPL victory. He submitted that plans for a victory parade were already in place before the team won the final, and this was reflected in internal communications and planning documents.

According to the AG, RCB went ahead with event announcements on social media without obtaining any permission from the State. "The Karnataka Cricket Association (KSCA) merely sent an intimation on June 3. No official request for permission came from RCB," he said. The AG accused the petitioners of suppressing this information in court filings and misleading the judiciary.

Calling the event "illegal", the AG said that under the Karnataka Police Act, a license is mandatory for such public gatherings. He added that ticketing, crowd management, and security were the responsibility of RCB and BCCI.

On the arrests, the AG argued that Sosale was detained while attempting to leave the city shortly after learning he was named in the FIR. He laid out the timeline, noting that after the suspension of DCP Shekhar, the investigation was lawfully transferred to another officer, who supervised the arrest via the Ashok Nagar Police Station. "Due process was followed even during transfer of case to CID, and all arrest documents were provided to the accused, in reasonable time," the AG said.

He contended that the arrests were legal, the petitioners were evading investigation, and that Sosale, in his official role, bore direct responsibility for the alleged lapses in safety and planning. "There were no barricades, no medical support, no permissions. The public was invited by RCB in an irresponsible manner, and the tragic deaths are a direct result of this negligence," he submitted.

The AG further stated that unless the arrest is proven to be illegal, the petition seeking quashing of proceedings is not maintainable. He emphasised that there was no delay in providing arrest documents and that the petitioners were attempting to suppress key facts.

The petitioners' counsel Mr Chouta responded by alleging that Sosale's fundamental rights were violated and once again questioned whether the Chief Minister had directed the arrest, as reported in the media. He pointed out that the State had not issued a specific denial on this issue. He also asked why several police officials were suspended or transferred if the government believes the entire responsibility lies with RCB and associated entities.

After hearing both sides, the court reserved its order for Thursday afternoon.