Bengaluru stampede: Event organiser moves Karnataka HC challenging inquiry report

Bengaluru: DNA Entertainment Private Limited, an event management company, has moved a petition in the Karnataka High Court praying for quashing the commission of inquiry report, by retired high court judge John Michael Cunha, about the June 4 stampede at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, which claimed 11 lives.

The petitioner contended that the inquiry report submitted in haste suggests the government's attempt to absolve itself and redirect blame to the innocent parties. The petition is likely to be listed in a day or two.

The commission submitted its report on July 11, 2025. The petitioner claims to have filed an application under the RTI seeking a copy of the report. The petitioner has learnt, through media reports, that two of its officials have been indicted personally in the report. Several serious allegations have also been made in the report that prejudicially affects the reputations of the company and its officials, the petitioner said.

The petitioner claimed that on a reading of the media coverage, it is evident that the commission has not considered the fact that the payment for police deployment had already been paid. The petitioner said the police were in receipt of the payment made for an IPL match which was subsequently shifted to Lucknow.

“..the haste with which the respondents conducted the Inquiry gives one the impression that the respondent government wanted to save its skin and that the Commission of Inquiry was a mere eye wash in order to pacify the general public and to deflect the blame from itself by making innocent persons such as the petitioner and its officials a scapegoat,” the petition said.

The petitioner submitted that the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 contemplates that there is a right of cross-examination. The petitioner said that its officials had sought for an opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses who may have spoken contrary to the interest of the company.

The petition said that the entire Inquiry would be contrary to the principles of natural justice and also contrary to the Act since the inquiry commission neither provided the copies of the deposition of the petitioner and others nor an opportunity to cross-examine.

It was further contended that filing of the report on July 11, 2025, exceeded the one-month deadline (from June 5, 2025), without any proper extension. The company also claimed to have been subjected to double jeopardy.

The officials have been forced to participate through summons issued in a similar inquiry still pending before the Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, the petitioner said. ..”it is trite in law that there cannot be two parallel proceedings/ inquiries at the same time on the same cause of action and subject matter and the same is grossly violative of Article 20(2) of the Constitution of India,” the petition said.