Four arrested in stampede case, including RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale, get interim bail from high court

BENGALURU: The four people arrested in the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede case — RCB Marketing Head Nikhil Sosale, DNA Entertainment Network’s Sunil Mathew, Kiran and Shamanth — were granted interim bail by the High Court of Karnataka on Thursday. The bail was granted on the condition that they will not leave the country.

The high court bench of Justice Krishnakumar had reserved its order after hearing arguments from both sides on Wednesday. The accused had filed a petition challenging their arrest in connection with the stampede case.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Shashikiran Shetty argued that RCB was directly responsible for the tragedy, citing the cricket team’s social media posts offering free passes, which, he said, attracted 3-4 lakh people to the stadium. After conclusion of the arguments, the court had reserved its order and granted interim bail to the accused on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede case was heard before a division bench comprising Justices Kameshwar Rao and CM Joshi.

During the hearing, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty submitted a report in a sealed envelope, stating that it includes all necessary information and that no false information has been provided. The AG requested extension of time to submit the final report.

The bench inquired about the petitioners who sought intervention and about the investigation led by retired Justice Michael D’Cunha. The AG explained the scope of the magisterial inquiry, which only focuses on the incident, while the judicial commission has a broader scope. The bench sought a document on the scope of the magisterial investigation and the judicial inquiry commission.

The court also inquired about compensation for the victims, noting that the government had announced compensation ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased and that RCB had also announced compensation.