'They invited..whole world': Karnataka blames BCCI, RCB for Bengaluru stampede
What's the story
The Karnataka government has blamed the Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the deadly stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4.
Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty told the court that RCB had invited everyone to the victory parade through social media without seeking formal permission.
The remarks came while hearing petitions of four individuals, including RCB's marketing head Nikhil Sosale, who have challenged the legality of their arrests.
Court proceedings
'They invited the whole world...'
During the court proceedings, Shetty said RCB had a massive social media following of 28 lakh but did not seek formal permission for the event.
"It was as if they invited the whole world," he told the court, adding that no information on ticketing or entry protocols was provided.
He highlighted that while the stadium had a capacity of only 33,000 people, around 3.5 to 4 lakh people showed up at the gates, leading to chaos and confusion.
Legal violations
What RCB's intimation letter said
Shetty further revealed that RCB had only sent an intimation letter through the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on June 3 at 6:30pm, a day before the parade.
"They were not seeking permission. They were merely informing us of their plans," he said.
"They had already decided that they will do it," he said, referring to the communication received on June 3, just one hour before RCB's final match began.
Misleading the court
RCB misled the court, tried to make it seem...
Shetty also accused RCB of misleading the court, saying they tried to make it seem like a government function when it was a private one.
"They have come to this court with unclean hands. They have tried to make it seem like it was a government function...It was an RCB private function," he said.
He clarified that the agreement was between RCB and BCCI, emphasizing that under this agreement, responsibilities for gate control, ticketing, and security rested solely with RCB.
Mismanagement impact
'They are directly responsible for the deaths...'
The advocate general argued that the mismanagement on the day of the event, including a lack of barriers, signage, or crowd control, directly led to the deaths and injuries.
"They failed to make proper arrangements. No barriers, no signboards," he said.
"They are directly responsible for the deaths of the 11 people."
Immediate actions
Nikhil Sosale tried to flee; government ordered inquiry
The Karnataka government has ordered a magisterial and judicial inquiry into the incident and transferred the investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Top police officials were also suspended and replaced immediately.
"We cannot keep the post vacant," said Shetty, referring to the appointment of a new commissioner.
He also claimed that RCB's marketing head, Nikhil, tried to flee after the incident but was caught at the airport.