B'luru stampede case: RCB holds CAT responsible for pulling crowds

Bengaluru, July 9 (IANS) The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has approached the Karnataka High Court, challenging the remarks made by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that held the cricket franchise responsible for drawing large crowds, which allegedly led to the June 4 stampede in which 11 people lost their lives here.

The Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), the owners of the RCB, has filed the petition in this regard on Wednesday.

The CAT had made the observations in its order while quashing the suspension of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash order by the Karnataka government in connection with the stampede case.

The petition claimed that the CAT's observations are in contrary to the natural justice and highlighted that the comments were made on the RCB, even as the RCB was not a party in the proceedings.

It further claimed that the CAT has passed the remarks crossing its jurisdiction and fixed the liability without hearing the version of the RCB.

The remarks of the CAT are factually and legally incorrect and made prior to the investigation reports pending by several agencies, including the magisterial probe into the stampede case, the petition said.

The Bengaluru bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had quashed the Karnataka government's suspension of Inspector General of Police-rank IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash over the June 4 cricket stadium stampede, which resulted in the death of 11 RCB fans who had gathered to celebrate the cricket team's IPL victory on July 1.

The CAT tribunal comprising Justice B. K. Shrivastava and Santhosh Mehra had passed the order.

The bench had said RCB posted on social media platforms without the consent of concerned police officers.

The bench further noted that while the first of such posts received 16 lakh views, the second post received 4.26 lakh views, the third post received 7.6 lakh views and the fourth post received 17 lakh views.

Therefore, prima facie it appears that the RCB is responsible for the gathering of about three to five lakh people.

The RCB did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the Police," the bench had said.

Meanwhile, the bench also adjourned the hearing on the appeal petition by the Karnataka government challenging CAT's verdict quashing suspension order of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash to July 17.

--IANS

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