Karnataka Cricket Body Officials Get High Court Relief In Stampede Case

The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted interim protection to key office-bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), directing the police not to take any coercive action against them in connection with the June 4 stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which resulted in 11 deaths and several injuries.

KSCA President Raghuram Bhat, Secretary A Shankar, and Treasurer E S Jayaram had filed petitions seeking to quash the FIRs lodged against them. Justice SR Krishna Kumar, who heard the matter, passed the interim order and adjourned further proceedings to June 16.

The court observed that a one-member judicial commission has been constituted to investigate the incident, alongside a magisterial inquiry and a criminal investigation being conducted by the state. It recorded submissions that the petitioners would "cooperate fully with the investigation and inquiries" and that any arrest would "violate their constitutional rights."

Appearing for the KSCA officials, senior advocates Ashok Haranahalli and Shyam Sundar argued that coercive steps would be premature given the ongoing inquiries. Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, appearing for the state, opposed the interim relief, arguing that the investigation must proceed unhindered and that the petitioners could seek anticipatory bail if necessary.

Recording all submissions, the High Court ruled that "no coercive action" shall be taken against the petitioners until the next hearing scheduled for June 16.

In a related development, the court also heard a petition filed by Nikhil Sosale, the Marketing Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who challenged his arrest in connection with the same incident. The court noted that since the arrest had already taken place after the FIR was filed, the burden was now on the petitioner to establish that the arrest was unlawful.

Counsel representing Sosale's wife submitted that the arrest was "malafide" and lacked legal authority, contending that the investigating officer was under suspension and therefore not empowered to arrest. It was also alleged that the arrest followed a directive from the Chief Minister after a cabinet meeting, which, counsel argued, "cannot be the legal basis for a custodial action." The counsel for Nikhil emphasised that the arrest cannot be made simply because a superior instructed it and that the case has to be probed as per law. The matter has been posted for further hearing on June 9.