Latest news with #Vikash
India Today
7 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka challenges order to reinstate Bengaluru cop suspended after stampede
The Karnataka government on Wednesday approached the High Court challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) order reinstating Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was suspended following a stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebrations on June 4 which led to the deaths of 11 people and left several others injured. The Central Administrative Tribunal's Bengaluru bench, comprising BK Shrivastava and Santosh Mehra, had on July 1 quashed Vikash's suspension, terming the state's action as 'mechanical' and lacking substantial grounds. The Tribunal held that the state had failed to present convincing material to justify the suspension. 'The order has not been based on convincing materials the officers have been suspended without sufficient material or grounds,' the Tribunal said, directing the state to reinstate Vikash response, the state government filed a writ petition before the Karnataka High Court, contending that the Tribunal had overstepped its jurisdiction by making determinations on the stampede without the benefit of a full-fledged departmental inquiry. It described the Tribunal's reasoning as 'perverse' and inconsistent with established legal principles concerning suspension. The government stated that it had submitted substantial supporting material in a sealed cover, including extracts from the Karnataka Police Manual and a detailed chronology of events from June 3 and 4. This material, it argued, was not properly considered by the Tribunal. 'Despite placing material on record justifying the suspension, the Tribunal failed to assess it in the right perspective,' the petition government also took issue with the Tribunal's interpretation regarding the status of ongoing inquiries. It noted that both a magisterial probe and a one-man commission were underway, and that disciplinary action had already been initiated based on preliminary findings. A departmental inquiry, reportedly at an advanced stage and initiated at the direction of the central government, was communicated orally to the Tribunal on June 30. However, the government claimed that this was overlooked in the final the state objected to the Tribunal's remarks concerning four other suspended officers — B Dayananda, Shekar H Tekkannavar, C Balakrishna, and AK Girish — who had not challenged their suspension and were not parties to the case. The government described the Tribunal's suggestion of reinstating them as 'highly irregular', arguing that such observations had been made without examining their individual roles, service records, or the factual context of the Karnataka High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Thursday.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka moves HC against quashing of officer's suspension
The Karnataka government on Wednesday moved the high court challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) July 1 order quashing Indian Police Service officer Vikash Kumar Vikash's suspension following the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which left 11 people dead. The June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium left 11 people dead. (AFP) Advocate general Shashikiran Shetty made an urgent mention before the court seeking an early hearing. He told a bench of justices SG Pandit and TM Nadaf that the CAT passed its order 'just yesterday,' and Vikash reported to duty on Wednesday. 'He has come in uniform to take charge,' Shetty told the court, which said it will hear the matter on Thursday. The CAT called Vikash's suspension 'mechanical' and unsupported by sufficient material. It criticised the state for acting without due process and ordered the immediate reinstatement of Vikash, who was removed as the additional police commissioner after the stampede. The CAT said the police had no prior notice of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s Indian Premier League victory parade, which triggered the stampede. It blamed RCB for unilaterally announcing the event via Instagram without informing the authorities. The CAT also urged the state to reinstate the other four police officers, including the then police commissioner B Dayananda, suspended following the stampede. The state government, in its appeal, called the tribunal's conclusions incorrect and premature. It argued that the CAT made its findings as if a 'full-fledged departmental inquiry had been concluded,' despite the judicial commission and magisterial probes still being underway. 'The revocation of the suspension at this critical juncture would have a direct bearing on the integrity of the ongoing enquiries and investigation. The presence of the applicant in service during this period may adversely affect the examination of witnesses and could potentially lead to tampering with evidence, thereby undermining the process of justice,' the state's plea said. The government said the order suspending the officers was not impulsive but based on evidence showing the suspended officers were guilty of 'dereliction of duty.' It claimed that it placed sufficient material before CAT in a sealed cover, including 'excerpts from the Karnataka Police Manual and a sequence-of-events analysis.' The government said yet, the tribunal disregarded this evidence, ordered that Vikash be reinstated immediately, and even went a step ahead, recommending that the four other suspended officers, who were neither petitioners nor parties to the case, be reinstated. The government's appeal underscored a contradiction. It appears to challenge the tribunal's exoneration of its officers and the tribunal's prima facie attribution of blame to RCB. The state maintained in previous proceedings that the IPL franchise was solely responsible for the stampede. The tribunal held that RCB announced free public entry, drawing massive crowds to the stadium, and failed to formally seek police permission or coordinate with authorities for the victory parade and celebrations. The state government opposed bail and quashing petitions filed, including by RCB officials, and during the suo motu proceedings initiated by the high court to fix accountability following the stampede, arguing that the franchise alone was responsible for the tragedy.
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Karnataka Moves Court After Tribunal Revokes IPS Officer's Suspension In Bengaluru Stampede Case
Bengaluru: A day after the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) revoked the suspension of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, who faced the action after a deadly stampede in Bengaluru last month, the Karnataka government on Wednesday moved the high court against the order. Eleven people were killed in a stampede on June 4 when lakhs of fans gathered near the MA Chinnaswamy Stadium after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) announced a victory parade to celebrate the team's maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win. The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government on June 5 suspended Mr Vikash, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and senior police officer Shekar H Tekkannavar. Mr Vikash, who was the Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police, West, Bengaluru and was deputed as the in-charge of the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, had moved the Tribunal against the order. The CAT on Tuesday observed that the police are neither "God" nor "magician" to manage massive crowds at short notice and held the RCB "prima facie responsible" for the stampede. "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 the aforesaid information, the public gathered. Because of a shortage of time, the police were unable to make the appropriate arrangements. It cannot be expected from the police that within a short time of about 12 hours, the police will make all the required arrangements," the order read. "Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither 'God' nor magicians. They do not have the magic powers like 'Alladin ka Chirag' (Alladin's lamp) that they can fulfil any wish by rubbing a finger," it said. The tribunal also suggested that the Karnataka government consider revoking the suspension of two other police officers.
Mint
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Mint
Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka Govt moves HC against CAT order revoking IPS officer's suspension
The Congress government in Karnataka has approached the High Court challenging an order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) quashing the suspension of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, over the stampede near Chinnaswamy stadium ahead of the RCB team's 2025 IPL victory celebration. At least 11 people died while 33 were injured in the stampede on 4 June. IPS officer Vikash, along with four officers of the Karnataka Police Department, were suspended for alleged negligence and failure to manage the crowd. The CAT, however, quashed Vikash's suspension on 1 July, saying that there was no convincing material showing police negligence. 'Order was passed yesterday and soon after the order, he came in uniform to take charge, milords,' Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty told the bench of Justice SG Pandit and TM Nadaf, legal news agency LiveLaw reported. The AG sought an early hearing today, but the court listed the matter for 3 July. No stay has been granted for now, the LiveLaw report said. The CAT, while cancelling the Karnataka government's suspension order against ACP Vikash, said the cops are not magicians and do not have Alladin ka Chirag (Alladin's magic lamp). The IPS officer was suspended in the wake of the Bengaluru stampede case in early June. The Bengaluru bench of the tribunal, comprising Justice BK Shrivastava and administrative member Santhosh Mehra, had reserved its verdict on 24 June. The tribunal noted that the sufficient time should have been given to the police personnel to make arrangements for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory parade in Bengaluru, blaming the franchise for 'creating the nuisance'. '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 were gathered,' CAT set. The tragic stampede incident took place on June 4 in front of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. IPS officer Vikash was suspended by the government. Vikash later moved the CAT, challenging his suspension. Key Takeaways The tragic stampede highlights the importance of proper crowd management during large public events. Responsibility for public safety may extend beyond law enforcement to event organizers. Legal frameworks governing police conduct and accountability can significantly impact public safety outcomes.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Tribunal slams RCB, revokes IPS officer's suspension
BENGALURU The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Tuesday condemned the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise for unilaterally announcing its IPL 2025 victory parade without police consultation, triggering the June 4 stampede at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured. An aerial view of fans gathered during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's felicitation ceremony after the team won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru. (PTI) In a strongly worded order, the tribunal called the franchise's actions 'unilateral' and held that the police had no prior intimation or obligation to facilitate such a massive public event. Pulling up the Karnataka government for suspending five senior police officers in the wake of the tragedy, the tribunal quashed the suspension of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, then additional commissioner of police, Bengaluru west, and ordered his immediate reinstatement with full back pay, terming the action against him 'mechanical' and unsupported by convincing evidence. The tribunal, comprising justice BK Shrivastava and administrative member Santosh Mehra, underscored that RCB had announced the parade via Instagram posts between 7am and 3.14pm on June 4, inviting the public and declaring free stadium entry without notifying or seeking consent from the police. As a result, it said, an unmanageable crowd of approximately 300,000 converged outside a stadium with a capacity of just 35,000. 'RCB unilaterally and without consultation with the city police created a situation of chaos,' the tribunal noted, sharply adding that 'in such a scenario, the police were not equipped with any 'Aladdin ka Chirag' (the fabled Alladin's lamp) to magically control the gathering.' It said neither RCB, nor its event management company DNA Entertainment, nor the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) followed any legal procedure for securing permissions. As per municipal regulations and the 2009 Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Public Processions Order, any event of this scale must be cleared at least seven days in advance, with the requisite fees paid. Instead, it pointed out that only a last-minute letter was submitted to the Cubbon Park police station on June 3 -- a day before the parade -- which was never escalated to senior officers such as Vikash. Vikash was among the five officers suspended by the state government just hours after the tragedy. But the tribunal found that his suspension lacked due process, and was issued without a show-cause notice, a hearing, or supporting material. 'In view of this tribunal, the order has been passed in a mechanical manner and is not based on convincing materials…The police officers have been suspended without any sufficient grounds,' the tribunal said. Vikash's counsel, senior advocate Dhyan Chinappa, argued that suspension is a severe disciplinary measure meant only for proven misconduct, corruption or criminal negligence, none of which had been established against his client. He also pointed out that the magisterial and judicial inquiries into the incident had only been ordered on June 5, after the suspension had already been issued. The state defended its decision, claiming there was prima facie evidence of a 'policing failure'. However, the tribunal disagreed, finding no evidence of substantial dereliction of duty. It pointed out that the only intimation of the event was a letter received by the Inspector of Police, Cubbon Park, and that there was no record of it being forwarded to senior officers. While granting relief to Vikash, the tribunal also urged the state government to extend the same treatment to the other suspended officers, including commissioner of police B Dayananda. 'We also feel our duty to draw the attention of the state government to the settled principle that when a citizen obtains a favourable ruling, other similarly situated persons should be extended the same benefit without having to approach the court,' the bench said. Meanwhile, the Karnataka high court on Tuesday resumed its hearing into a suo motu PIL on the incident, as it raised questions about the state's reluctance to make public its status report. Senior advocate S Susheela, the court-appointed amicus curiae, objected to the state's plea to keep the report confidential for 10-15 more days, calling it unjustified and unprecedented in a matter not involving national or state security. The matter will be heard next on July 2.
