Karnataka HC bars police from filing chargesheet in Bengaluru stampede case

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ordered that the police must seek its prior approval before submitting any final report or chargesheet against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), event organiser DNA, or other parties in connection with the stampede incident at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

 

The bench of Justice SR Krishna Kumar passed an interim order while hearing a batch of petitions filed by RCB, its marketing head Nikhil Sosale, DNA, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), seeking to quash the first information reports (FIRs) filed against them.

 

Why?

 

The petitioners requested the court to issue the restraining order, arguing that filing a chargesheet before the court ruled on the validity of the FIRs could affect their case, the report added.

 

In response, the court directed the state not to file the chargesheet.”

 

"Relist on August 5. Meanwhile, respondents not to file final report without leave of the court. Interim order extended till the next date of hearing," the Court ordered, as quoted by Bar and Bench.

 

"Otherwise if you file then they (petitioners) will say permit us to amend, fresh petition. So you complete everything," it added, as quoted by LiveLaw.

 

However, the state government's counsel informed the court, "My instruction is one month is required for investigation. And nothing will happen in meantime".

 

Earlier, the court had granted the petitioners interim protection from arrest until August 5.

 

Background

 

A large crowd assembled outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 to mark RCB’s maiden IPL title. The celebration, however, ended in tragedy when a stampede occurred, leaving 11 people dead and 56 others injured.

 

The state has held RCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) responsible for the stampede claiming that the organisers never sought permission for the celebratory event and had instead “invited the whole world” through social media.