The Karnataka High Court on Monday said it will hear the petitions filed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd, both challenging the criminal cases registered against them in connection with the stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium, on June 10.
The stampede, which took place on June 4 during celebrations for RCB’s IPL season victory, resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injuries to at least 56 others.
Royal Challengers Sports Limited (RCSL), the franchise owner of RCB, moved the High Court arguing that it has been falsely implicated in the incident. In its petition, RCSL stated that it had issued prior communication on social media clarifying that only a limited number of passes were available and that even free passes required pre-registration for entry.
The petition also blamed the delay in opening the stadium gates, which were scheduled to open at 1.45 pm but opened at 3 pm, for triggering the crowd surge that led to the stampede.
DNA Entertainment, a key event partner, also filed a separate petition attributing the tragedy to inadequate crowd control by the police. According to DNA, most personnel were deployed at Vidhana Soudha due to a parallel event, leaving the stadium area understaffed despite the overwhelming turnout.
Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty urged the court to club all related petitions and hear them on June 10. The court granted time for filing objections.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will travel to Delhi on June 10 to meet Congress party leadership. Though the Chief Minister has denied receiving any directive from the party high command, sources confirm he will brief them on the June 4 stampede among other developments.
The tragedy occurred when thousands gathered outside the stadium for RCB’s IPL victory celebrations, resulting in a fatal accident.