RCB Moves Karnataka High Court Over Tribunal Remarks Holding It Responsible for Bengaluru Stampede

IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has approached the Karnataka High Court challenging remarks made by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which suggested that the team was "prima facie responsible" for the deadly stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. The incident occurred ahead of RCB’s IPL victory celebrations and claimed the lives of 11 people.

In its July 1 order, the CAT quashed the suspension of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, one of the officials held accountable by the state government for alleged negligence. The tribunal noted that RCB had not obtained proper police permission before announcing the event. “Suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result… the public gathered,” the order stated, referring to the crowd that had thronged the stadium area following the team's announcement.

The CAT also criticized RCB for creating what it called a "nuisance" without prior approval and observed that the police could not be expected to make security arrangements in just 12 hours. “Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither gods nor magicians, and do not possess ‘Aladdin ka chirag’ to fulfill any sudden wish,” the bench noted sharply.

Along with Vikash Kumar Vikash, two other senior officers—Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and DCP Shekar H. Tekkannavar—had been suspended. However, the CAT’s order cast doubt on the justification for their suspension, calling it excessive.

When the Karnataka government challenged the CAT's decision in the High Court, the court too questioned the state’s move, asking whether transferring the officers would have been a more reasonable course of action than suspending them. The HC has scheduled the next hearing on that matter for July 9 and has refused to stay the CAT’s order until then.

RCB’s decision to file a petition comes amid ongoing criticism from various quarters—including the public and political circles—regarding the handling of the event. Many have pointed fingers at the RCB management, local police, and the Congress-led state government for poor planning and crowd control that led to the tragedy.