‘As if they invite the whole world': In Karnataka High Court, govt blames RCB for Bengaluru stampede
The Karnataka High Court Wednesday concluded hearings on interim bail pleas in connection with the Bengaluru stampede case and is set to pronounce an order Thursday.
The state government completed its submissions on Wednesday before the court, arguing against the relief sought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) marketing head Nikhil Sosale, event management company DNA's vice-president Sunil Mathew, and two others who were arrested in connection with the June 4 stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium in which 11 people were killed and several others were injured.
The petitioners made their submissions in the matter Tuesday. Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, representing the state, argued before the single-judge bench of Justice SR Krishna Kumar that RCB had not taken proper permission for the celebration of the maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) victory of its men's team.
He stated, 'What comes out of this is… no permission is sought for. It is an intimation letter – we are going and doing it.' He added that an application ought to have been filed at least seven days prior.
AG Shetty said, 'They (RCB) have got a (social media) following of 28 lakhs. They say they are going to have a victory celebration. Who is invited on that day, who is not invited… as if they invite the whole world. In stadium capacity of 33,000 in which ticket is only 18,000.'
The AG added that the petitioners had come to the court with 'unclean hands'. 'They have misled this court as if the function is done by the state government… It is RCB's function, a private function.'
Sosale was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in the early hours of June 6 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Citing the time of Sosale's flight and the time of ticket purchase before he was arrested, the AG stated that this indicated he was fleeing.
Prior to this, arguments on behalf of the petitioner were made by senior advocate Sandesh Chouta. Among the various arguments he made was the assertion that, instead of being based on investigation, the arrests so far were due to the chief minister's directions. Furthermore, among the assertions made by DNA Entertainment in its petition was that the issue arose because the police presence was not commensurate with the size of the crowd, with the majority of the force gathered near the Vidhana Soudha.
After hearing the arguments, the bench adjourned the proceedings, with an interim order in the proceedings set to be issued Thursday. As previously reported by The Indian Express, the state is also set to submit replies to questions in suo motu proceedings regarding the stampede in a sealed cover.
These questions sought details such as standard operating procedures, emergency services organised, and whether permission was sought for the event, amongst others.
The high court's suo motu action and the questions it posed on June 5 triggered the suspensions of five police officers, including the Bengaluru police commissioner, a day later. It also resulted in the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the stampede.
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