Karnataka HC permits government to file Chinnaswamy stampede probe report in sealed cover on June 12

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has raised an apprehension that any information on the probe into the stampede at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium would be used by the accused in various petitions filed by them.

Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty made this submission before a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice C M Joshi in the suo motu proceedings registered by the Karnataka High Court.

The division bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice was hearing the suo motu PIL registered to examine whether the incident could have been prevented and what remedies can be taken for the future events.

The bench had directed the state government status report reflecting nine issues/points regarding the stampede, including as to who took the decision to hold the victory celebrations and in what manner.

Advocate General K Shashikiran Shetty submitted that he required time to file the status report and also sought permission of the court to file the report in a sealed cover.

The bench permitted the AG to file the status report in a sealed cover on Thursday afternoon.

He also submitted that since a judicial commission has been appointed which had been granted one month's time to submit a report, any views expressed by the high court will have a bearing on the same.

The bench however, asked the AG to submit the status report in the sealed cover on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a senior advocate informed the court that a few family members of the victims of the stampede wished to intervene in the proceedings. The bench asked the advocates to be present on the next date of hearing.