The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Tuesday ruled that IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is prima facie responsible for the events of June 4, when a stampede at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives. In a significant development, the Tribunal quashed the suspension of Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was serving as Additional Commissioner of Police (West) at the time, and who had challenged the suspension order.

The CAT directed the Karnataka government to reinstate him to his previous post, stating that the suspension order “has been passed in a mechanical manner” and was “not based upon any convincing materials.” The Tribunal observed that the officers had been suspended without “sufficient material or grounds.”

The order could have wider implications, with the Tribunal expressing hope that the government would “extend the same benefit to the other officers who were suspended by the same order.” These include former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, former DCP (Central) H.T. Shekhar, former Cubbon Park ACP Balakrishna, and former Cubbon Park Inspector Girish.

The ruling is being seen as a setback for the State government, particularly since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had personally announced the suspensions at a press conference. Government sources told Sportstar that the order is likely to be challenged in the Karnataka High Court.

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“Police are neither Gods nor magicians”

In the order passed by Justice B.K. Srivastava and Administrative Member Santosh Mehra of the CAT’s Bengaluru Bench, the Tribunal observed that the police were also human beings — not “Gods or magicians” with the power of an “Aladdin’s lamp” to conjure up adequate arrangements at such short notice.

“… The question arises whether “sufficient time” was available to the police for making the sufficient arrangements? The answer is negative,” the CAT said in its order. “Because of a shortage of time on 04.06.2025, the police were unable to make the appropriate arrangements. Sufficient time was not given to the police….It cannot be expected from the police that within a short time of about 12 hours the police will make all arrangements,” it said.

‘Prima facie RCB responsible for large gathering’

In its order, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) noted that prior permission for the stadium event had not been obtained in accordance with the prescribed rules. Referring to a letter submitted by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to the Inspector of Cubbon Park Police Station on June 3 — a day before the final match — the Tribunal held that the communication violated the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Public Procession (Bengaluru City) Order, 2009. As per the order, event organizers are required to seek permission at least seven days in advance from the Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) and submit a security deposit. The CAT found that none of these mandatory provisions were followed, and the letter was neither submitted to the Additional Commissioner — in this case, Vikash Kumar Vikash — nor to the Police Commissioner.

“The KSCA submitted a letter which also did not contain any request for granting the permission or for making the arrangements. The letter shows only the information regarding the intention,” the CAT said, adding, “Upon the basis of this letter, prima facie the police was not bound to give any facilities or to provide any support. In spite of that, the police provided the proper arrangements as far as possible”.

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Detailing how the RCB announced a victory parade repeatedly on June 4 on its social media handles, CAT observed that “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. Suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result of aforesaid information, the public gathered,” it said, referring to it as “creating nuisance without any prior permission,” elsewhere in the order.

‘No convincing materials for suspension’

Quoting from the terms of reference to the judicial inquiry commission formed by the State Government to probe the stampede case on June 5, one of which reads: “Identification of persons responsible for lapses/deficiencies that led to the incident”, the CAT said that this showed “that till June 5, it was not ascertained that who are responsible for the lapses and deficiencies. The same is also reflected from the order of magisterial inquiry”.

“At the time of passing of the aforesaid order there was no convincing material for showing the default or negligence of the concerned police officers,” the CAT said in its order.