Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka HC grants relief to RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale, directs him to surrender passport
The
Karnataka High Court
on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to
Nikhil Sosale
, marketing head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), in connection with the tragic stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. The court also directed Sosale to surrender his passport as a condition of the relief.
Sosale had moved the court seeking anticipatory bail and protection from coercive action after an FIR was lodged naming RCB, the
Karnataka State Cricket Association
(KSCA), and event management firm DNA Entertainment Networks.
The FIR alleged negligence and public endangerment under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita following the fatal incident that claimed 11 lives and left several others injured.
The stampede occurred during a public celebration organized to mark RCB's historic maiden IPL title victory.
The event, held at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, saw an unexpectedly massive turnout, overwhelming crowd control arrangements and resulting in chaos. Multiple eyewitness accounts pointed to inadequate barricading and delayed medical assistance, raising questions about event preparedness.
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Court reserves ruling, later grants interim relief
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the High Court had reserved its verdict on Sosale's plea.
Delivering its decision on Thursday, the court ruled that Sosale be released from immediate arrest but imposed the condition that he cooperate fully with the investigation and surrender his passport to ensure his availability during the proceedings.
KSAC officials already under interim protection
This decision comes days after the same court granted interim relief to key KSCA officials, including President Raghuram Bhat, Secretary A Shankar, and Treasurer ES Jairam. Justice SR Krishna Kumar, who is hearing the matter, had earlier restrained the police from initiating coercive action against them, provided they continue to cooperate with the investigation. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 12.
The controversy escalated last week after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly ordered arrests of officials from KSCA, RCB, and DNA Entertainment, stating that those responsible for the tragedy would be held accountable.
The KSCA responded by filing a petition to quash the FIR, arguing that it had limited involvement in the event's logistics and was not directly accountable for the mishap.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on establishing liability for the overcrowding and lack of adequate safety measures at what was intended to be a celebratory occasion for cricket fans in Bengaluru.
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