Bengaluru stampede case: RCB, organisers move Karnataka HC seeking to quash criminal charges

RCSL has argued in its plea that it had been wrongly implicated and maintained that it had taken adequate steps to ensure order during the event. (File photo)

Royal Challengers Sports Limited (RCSL), the owner of IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Monday approached the Karnataka High Court seeking to quash a criminal case filed against it in connection with the stampede incident at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which left 11 people dead.

DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt Ltd, the event organiser, also filed a separate petition challenging the FIR registered against it following the tragedy.

RCSL has argued in its plea that it had been wrongly implicated and maintained that it had taken adequate steps to ensure order during the event. The company stated it had clearly announced on social media that only a limited number of passes were available and that pre-registration was mandatory even for the free passes.

According to the petition, RCSL alleged that mismanagement at the venue led to the stampede. The gates of the stadium, which were scheduled to open at 1:45 pm, reportedly opened only at 3:00 pm, leading to a sudden crowd surge.

DNA Entertainment, in its filing, also attributed the incident to lapses in crowd control by the police, claiming that the tragedy resulted from a failure in managing the large turnout.

The Karnataka High Court is expected to take up both petitions later on Monday.

Earlier last week, on June 7, a complaint was lodged against RCB player Virat Kohli at Bengaluru's Cubbon Park Police Station in connection with the stampede, which claimed 11 lives. However, police sources confirmed that no FIR has been registered yet.

According to authorities, the complaint against Kohli will be reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation and will be considered within the current case proceedings.

Eleven people were killed and 47 injured on June 4 as fans gathered outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday to celebrate RCB's victory in the 2025 IPL championship.