Bengaluru stampede: CAT quashes IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash's suspension order

Indian Express

3 days ago

The Bengaluru bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has annulled the Karnataka government's suspension of Inspector General of Police-rank IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash over the June 4 cricket stadium stampede, which resulted in the death of 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who had gathered to celebrate the cricket team's IPL victory.
Vikash had challenged the June 5 suspension order, where he, along with Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda, an officer of the rank of additional director general of police who was due to be promoted to the rank of director general of police, and deputy commissioner of police Shekar H Tekkannavar, were suspended.
The CAT tribunal comprising Justice B K Shrivastava and Santhosh Mehra, which had reserved its orders on June 24, allowed the challenge on Tuesday during the pronouncement of its orders.
'The CAT has allowed the petition and quashed the order of suspension against Vikash Kumar. The tribunal has said that he is eligible for all requisite benefits,' Dhyan Chinappa, Vikash's advocate, said following the orders.
The tribunal has also said that the orders in Vikash's case can be considered by the state government in the case of the two other suspended IPS officers as well.
The CAT order is expected to facilitate the return of the three suspended IPS officers to the police department.
On June 5, the Karnataka government suspended Dayananda, Vikash, Tekkannavar, C Balakrishna, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cubbon Park, and A K Girish, Police Inspector, Cubbon Park, over the June 4 cricket stadium tragedy.
Though the RCB CEO had informed Dayananda on June 3 about holding a victory parade and celebrations on June 4, 'the office of Police Commissioner failed to give written reply to the organizers, rejecting the permission on the grounds of lack of time to prepare for such a huge event', the government's suspension order of June 5 stated.
The conduct of the IPS police officers was 'in gross violation of AIS (Conduct) Rules and that of the ACP and PI is in gross violation of Karnataka State Police (Disciplinary Proceedings) Rules, 1965,' the order further stated.
The suspensions of the police officers had dealt a blow to the morale of the police department since the Karnataka government was also involved in organising the felicitation for the RCB team.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah later told senior police officers that he was only informed about one death. 'If the senior officers had given us the correct information immediately, the stadium programme could have been cancelled,' Siddaramaiah said at a senior police officers meeting on June 27 while referring to two events held on June 4 to felicitate the RCB at the government headquarters at the Vidhana Soudha at 4 pm and later at 5 pm at the M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium.