2 days ago
Bengaluru stampede: CID withdraws custody plea for RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale and others
The Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday withdrew its request for custodial interrogation of four officials linked to the stampede that killed 11 people outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebration, Indian Express reported.
The decision came after the defence pointed to an ongoing petition in the Karnataka High Court questioning the legality of the arrests.
As reported by the publication, the CID had initially sought nine days' custody of the accused for further investigation. However, the plan was halted when senior advocate Sandesh Chouta, representing RCB's head of marketing Nikhil Sosale, argued that the matter was already sub judice in the High Court.
(Also Read: RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale denied interim relief in Bengaluru stampede case)
The magistrate also questioned the CID's haste, asking what could realistically be achieved in just one day of custody before the High Court's verdict. Assistant Superintendent of Police Jagadeesh, representing the CID, maintained that custodial interrogation was necessary to probe the planning and crowd management lapses during the IPL celebration event, the report added.
Following a recess and consultations with Advocate-General Shashi Kiran Shetty, the CID informed the court that it would defer its custody application until the High Court delivers clarity on the pending petition.
The four accused, Nikhil Sosale, Sunil Mathew (director and vice-president), Kiran Kumar (manager), and Shamanth S P (ticketing executive) of DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt Ltd, were returned to Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.
(Also Read: Bengaluru walkers' group urges Defence Ministry to reclaim Chinnaswamy stadium land)
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday refused to grant interim relief to Nikhil Sosale, the head of marketing at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), in connection with the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium that left 11 people dead.
The court reserved its order on his petition until June 11, news agency PTI reported.
