RCB moves Karnataka HC after being held 'Prima Facie Responsible' for parade stampede by tribunal

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise has approached the Karnataka High Court, contesting the Central Administrative Tribunal’s (CAT) observations that held it primarily responsible for the June 4 stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which left 11 dead and over 50 injured.

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In its plea, RCB argued that the tribunal's remarks were unjust as the franchise was not given a chance to present its version. The petition, filed by advocate Raghuram Cadambi, emphasized that making adverse findings without hearing RCB goes against the fundamental principle of natural justice.

The stampede broke out when an estimated crowd of 3 to 5 lakh people gathered to participate in the team’s victory parade after it secured its maiden IPL trophy in 18 years. The CAT criticized the franchise for announcing the event via social media without securing prior police approval, terming the move a “nuisance.”

According to the tribunal, the last-minute announcement left law enforcement with insufficient time to arrange adequate crowd management. It defended the police, stating they cannot be expected to perform miracles in under 12 hours, and likened expectations to magical acts like “Alladdin ka chirag.”