Karnataka HC schedules stampede petition hearing for June 12

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday posted to June 12, further hearing on a petition initiated by it on the June 4 stampede at the Chinnaswamy stadium.

Eleven people were killed in the stampede during a celebratory event to mark Royal Challenger Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL triumph last week.

On Tuesday, the court ordered Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty to file a reply in a sealed cover.

During the hearing, AG Shetty submitted that he has not yet filed his reply. He said a judicial commission has been constituted, giving a one-month timeline for a report. He also noted that police officers have been suspended.

Shetty requested for a sealed-envelope submission, stating that in the pending bail petitions being heard concurrently, any statements made in the case were being used by the accused.

The court permitted Shetty to file the reply in a sealed cover by June 12, emphasising safe custody by the Registrar General.

The suo moto petition was heard by a division bench of acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao and Justice C. M. Joshi.

A former member of the Legislative Council sought to be impleaded in the petition.

Meanwhile, a lawyer mentioned that he is also filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the stampede.

The court also noted that the investigation has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as mentioned by Shetty in a prior hearing.

On June 5, Karnataka HC had taken cognizance of the stadium stampede event and directed the state government to file a status report.