Action based on FIR: New Bengaluru top cop Seemanth Singh on arrest of RCB, event firm officials

New Bengaluru police commissioner Seemanth Singh

Senior IPS officer Seemanth Kumar Singh, who was appointed Bengaluru police commissioner on Thursday, said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) marketing head Nikhil Sosale was arrested based on the FIR filed in connection with the stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4.

"The action was taken on the basis of the First Information Report (FIR) registered on Thursday," the top cop told NDTV without giving any further details.

Earlier today, officials of RCB and event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited including Sosale were taken into custody in connection with the stampede in which 11 people were killed and over 50 sustained injuries. The stampede occurred on June 4 evening outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a lakhs of people had gathered to participate in the RCB's IPL victory celebrations.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a thrilling final and lifted their maiden IPL trophy at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat.

Seemanth Kumar Singh took over as Bengaluru police commissioner after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday suspended senior police officers including commissioner B Dayananda for dereliction of duty in connection with the stampede case.

An IPS officer of the 1996 Karnataka cadre batch, Singh was serving as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force prior to this transfer. He has also served as the head of the Anti-Naxal Force in Udupi and was the Commissioner of Police in Mangaluru from 2010 to 2012.

Siddaramaiah had also ordered the arrest of representatives of RCB, DNA Entertainment Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).

Sosale, who was arrested from the Kempegowda International Airport around 6.30 when he on his way to Mumbai, handles all promotional activities and social media handles of RCB.