BENGALURU: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has strongly objected to findings by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which held the franchise responsible for the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, in which 11 people lost their lives and 56 were injured. Arguing before the Karnataka High Court, RCB demanded that portions of the tribunal’s report be struck down, calling the observations baseless and a violation of natural justice.
RCB’s legal representative, Sandesh Chouta, told the court that the team was not a party to the CAT proceedings and yet, was blamed for the incident. “We are seeking to expunge paragraphs 23 to 27 of the CAT order. The tribunal has made serious allegations against RCB without even hearing us. This is a clear violation of the principles of natural justice,” Chouta said. “RCB’s right to reputation under Article 21 of the Constitution is at stake when such remarks are made without due process.”
In a statement to the media, Chouta added that it was Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar who had personally received the team at the airport and took them to the Vidhana Soudha, where public announcements were made regarding the felicitation event. He argued that the event was state-backed and not solely initiated by the franchise.
In its report, the CAT said that RCB failed to coordinate with the police before inviting lakhs of fans to the celebration event at the stadium after their historic maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win. The tribunal stated that no prior permission or crowd management planning was undertaken by the franchise.
“Prima facie, it appears that RCB is responsible for the gathering of around three to five lakh people. The franchise unilaterally posted about the event on social media without consulting the police. This left the police with insufficient time to prepare for crowd control,” the report said.
Highlighting the enormity of the situation, the CAT added, “Police officers are not gods or magicians. Such large gatherings require time for adequate planning. RCB’s sudden announcement created a public nuisance. Due to lack of information and coordination, thousands of fans remained on the streets overnight, putting a tremendous strain on the police force.”
The report also noted that a parallel government function was being held at the Vidhana Soudha, further stretching police resources. The government had previously claimed that the event was a last-minute affair, but CAT’s findings contradicted this, referring to RCB’s public announcement made on June 4.
Following the tragedy, the Karnataka government had suspended three senior police officers, including the city police commissioner, citing “dereliction of duty.” However, counsel representing IPS officer Vikash Kumar countered the narrative, stating the suspension was carried out without a proper disciplinary inquiry and was simply meant to showcase accountability.
“The officers became scapegoats. There was no inquiry, and suspension became a tool for damage control,” Kumar’s counsel argued in court.
The incident occurred during a felicitation ceremony organized after RCB’s first-ever IPL title win. The team had posted online that entry to the stadium was free, prompting an overwhelming crowd. Fans who had waited nearly two decades for the victory began gathering outside the stadium overnight.
Chaos erupted when gates opened, leading to a deadly stampede. Initial investigations pointed to a failure in coordination between the RCB, government officials, and police, despite prior posts about the event on social media.
The Karnataka High Court recently rejected a plea by the state government to keep the tribunal report confidential. The report became public on Thursday, prompting RCB to immediately approach the court seeking the removal of parts that held the franchise accountable.
As the legal battle unfolds, the focus remains on determining accountability for the tragic mismanagement that cost 11 lives and injured dozens—raising serious questions about event planning, crowd control, and institutional coordination during large-scale public gatherings.
