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The CAT had, on July 1, quashed the suspension of Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was serving as Additional Commissioner of Police (West) at the time of the incident
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In a significant reversal, the Karnataka government has revoked the suspension orders of senior IPS officers who were earlier suspended in connection with the RCB stampede. The move may indicate a change in the government’s stance, while reconsidering its earlier position given that the state had initially defied the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) ruling and challenged it in the Karnataka High Court.
This comes as the legal proceedings of the case are still progressing.
Through an official order, the government reinstated B Dayananda, Shekar S Tekkannavar, C Balakrishna, and A K Girish, stating that they were being reinstated into service with immediate effect, pending initiation of disciplinary proceedings as per existing rules.
The CAT had, on July 1, quashed the suspension of Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was serving as Additional Commissioner of Police (West) at the time of the incident. The Tribunal observed that the suspension was issued without issuing a show-cause notice, conducting a preliminary inquiry, or providing the officer an opportunity to present his defence. It ruled that the decision unfairly pinned responsibility on officers who were not accountable for the procedural lapses of the event organisers.
The CAT directed the government to reinstate Vikash immediately and treat the suspension period as on-duty, entitling him to full pay and allowances.
Despite the Tribunal’s strong observations, the state government moved the Karnataka High Court the next day to challenge the CAT order. Around the same time, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) also approached the High Court, contesting the CAT’s remarks that held the franchise prima facie responsible for the stampede during the celebratory event. RCB argued that it had not been given an opportunity to respond before such observations were made.
In mid- july, the Karnataka High Court ordered the State government to make public its internal status report on the stampede incident.
The government had requested the court to keep the report confidential. However, the court observed that that there was no legal basis for such a request, noting that the report merely contained the government’s version of events.
Initiate legal action
Subsequently, on July 24, the State cabinet approved the recommendations of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, deciding to initiate legal action against multiple parties, including RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and event management firm DNA Networks. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil also confirmed that a departmental inquiry would be launched against the five suspended officers, including former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, for their alleged failure to manage the situation effectively.
The latest development marks a crucial turn in the high-profile case that has sparked widespread debate over accountability, and procedural fairness.
Published on July 28, 2025
