Karnataka HC to hear Nikhil Sosale’s petition challenging arrest in Bengaluru stampede case

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court will on Tuesday hear the petition filed by the Marketing and Revenue Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Nikhil Sosale. The petition was filed to challenge the legality of his arrest in connection with the stampede outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4.

During the previour hearing, the lawyer representing RCB sought interim relief for Sosale, arguing that his arrest was illegal. However, the Attorney General, representing the state government, opposed the request for interim bail, stating that such relief cannot be granted until the court conclusively determines the illegality of the arrest. The bench reserved its decision and scheduled the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.

Last Friday, the Karnataka HC granted interim relief to the office bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), who had approached the court seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against them in connection with the stampede case.

In an interim order, the court directed the state police not to take any coercive action against them until further orders. The High Court adjourned the case to June 9.

Sosale was arrested by the Bengaluru Police in the early hours of June 6 (Friday). He has contended that the arrest was illegal, arbitrary and not in accordance with the law. He claimed that he was arrested without any materials and even before the police had conducted a preliminary enquiry. He has thus sought to declare his arrest illegal.

Last Thursday, the Bengaluru police registered an FIR against the RCB franchise; DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., an event management company; and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for culpable homicide, illegal assembly, and other serious charges.

A day after the stampede that claimed the lives of 11 people, the Karnataka police suspended multiple IPS officers, including the Bengaluru city police Commissioner, B Dayananda. (ANI)