Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday (June 9) posted for tomorrow for interim relief on a plea challenging the arrest of Nikhil Sosale, marketing head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), arrsted in connection with the stampeded incident near M Chinnaswamy stadium claiming 11 lives.
The counsel representing Sosale argued before the court the arrest of Sosale did not happen in view of any investigation, but merely because some directions were issued by the Chief Minister and said that the Chief Minister cannot give directions for arrest.
“It was not part of the investigation, just because the CM (Chief Minister) said CCB arrested him, though they are not investigating the case,” the counsel argued.
The counsel further argued that Sosale was not arrested by either Ashok Nagar police under whose jurisdiction Sosale stays or Cubbon Park police under whose jurisdiction Chinnaswamy stadium falls but by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and said that CCB had no authority to arrest him as the probe was transferred from the CCB to CID on June 5 and he was arrested in the early hours of June 6.
Justice SR Krishna Kumar orally asked the State to respond to whether the Chief Minister used any word that the accused shall be arrested and whether the CCB had the power to arrest Sosale, saying personal liberty is involved in such cases. The Advocate General told the court that he would verify and respond to the same.
The High Court also heard a petition filed by RCB and event management firm DNA and posted these matters for further hearing on Thursday taking on record the submissions made by Advocate General that no precipitative action will be taken by the State as the matters are pending. RCB and DNA have sought quashing of FIR registered against them in connection with the stampede incident.
The High Court earlier granted interim protection from arrest to the officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) in the case registered in connection with the death of 11 persons in a stampede incident.
Eleven persons lost their lives and 56 others were injured in the stampede incident near Chinnaswamy stadium, as over 2.5 lakh people from the city as well as the other parts of the state thronged to the stadium to participate in the RCB team’s IPL victory celebrations.
The High Court has also taken suo motu cognisance of the stampede incident and has sought a detailed status report from State.
