DNA Entertainment Networks, an event management company, refuted any involvement in inviting attendees to RCB’s victory event during the hearing of its petition contesting the criminal case filed against it after a stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru resulted in 11 fatalities.
The legal representative for the event company, Senior Advocate CV Nagesh, informed the Karnataka High Court that the Chief Minister had personally encouraged public involvement.
“We did not invite anybody. The CM invited people!” argued DNA’s counsel before the bench. He reiterated, “CM himself asked the people to come and participate.”
The court subsequently reviewed the First Information Report (FIR), which identifies three accused parties – the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), DNA, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The judge instructed the state to specify if the accusations against each side were separate. “The judge stated, ‘The State must demonstrate the distinctions in the accusations against DNA, RCB, and KSCA.’”
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During the conversation about the charges, the court voiced doubts regarding their relevance. When DNA’s attorney contested the accusation of unlawful assembly, the judge remarked, “Unlawful assembly is not applicable.” In other areas, including those concerning culpable homicide, DNA’s lawyer referenced the Union Carbide case to contend that the incident fell short of qualifying for such charges.
The court observed that RCB’s supposed involvement was restricted to one line in the FIR mentioning it had handed out free passes. The AG asserted, “You are overlooking the reality that they tweeted. That is the reason people came together, leading to the stampede.
Prior to considering the event company’s petition, the court addressed the petition submitted by RCB’s marketing head, Nikhil Sosale, who was also detained in relation to the incident after the stampede. In addition to Sosale, three more individuals from the event management company were also detained.
