Karnataka High Court Halts Charge Sheet Filing Against RCB In Deadly Stadium Stampede Case

The Karnataka High Court has temporarily blocked state police from proceeding with formal charges against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and DNA Entertainment regarding the tragic stampede incident at Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, which resulted in 11 deaths and over 50 injuries.

Justice SR Krishna Kumar issued the restraining order on Tuesday, directing law enforcement agencies to refrain from filing their final investigation report without explicit court approval. This decision came after legal representatives for both RCB and DNA Entertainment argued that filing charges would cause "irreparable harm" to their clients, emphasizing their full cooperation with the ongoing police investigation.

The investigation encompasses three suo motu First Information Reports filed against RCB, DNA Entertainment, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association following the deadly incident. State government officials informed the court that police investigations would likely require at least another month to complete, though Justice Kumar emphasized that regardless of timeline, no final reports could be submitted without judicial permission.

The court's intervention occurred while hearing petitions from RCB and DNA Entertainment seeking complete dismissal of the FIRs filed against them. Additionally, the court extended existing interim orders preventing arrests of individuals named as accused parties in the case until August 5, when proceedings will resume.

The stampede tragedy unfolded when massive crowds gathered to celebrate RCB's IPL 2025 championship victory. The incident prompted immediate administrative action, with five police officials, including ACP Vikash Kumar Vikash, facing suspension for alleged failures in crowd management protocols.

In related proceedings, RCB filed a separate petition challenging adverse observations made by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in its July 1 ruling. The CAT had deemed RCB "prima facie responsible" for the chaos, citing the franchise's failure to obtain necessary state permissions and its unilateral announcement of the celebration event through Instagram without proper authority notification.

RCB's legal team contested these findings, arguing that the franchise was not included as a party in the CAT proceedings and therefore denied opportunity for defense. They contended that the tribunal's observations violated natural justice principles by assigning full responsibility without allowing RCB to present its case.

The franchise maintained that according to its agreements with both KSCA and DNA Entertainment, responsibility for securing police permissions and related administrative requirements falls under their purview rather than RCB's direct obligations. This petition awaits scheduling for high court consideration.

The CAT's ruling had reinstated ACP Vikash's suspension, prompting the Karnataka government to file its own appeal challenging this decision. The government's appeal is scheduled for hearing on July 9, adding another layer to the complex legal proceedings surrounding the tragic incident.

The case highlights broader questions about event management responsibilities, crowd control protocols, and the coordination between sports franchises, event organizers, and law enforcement agencies during large-scale public celebrations. The court's current stance provides temporary relief for the accused parties while ensuring thorough investigation procedures continue under judicial oversight.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses. Sonnet 4