Follow UsIn an overnight operation led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Akshay, the Central Crime Branch of the Bengaluru Police arrested four individuals associated with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the event management company DNA Entertainment Private Limited. The arrests are linked to a tragic stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium that resulted in 11 deaths and left over 50 people injured.
Among those arrested was RCB’s Marketing Head, Nikhil Sosale, who oversees the team’s social media communications. He was detained at around 6:30 AM at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, while en route to Mumbai. The police also took into custody Sunil Mathew, Vice President of DNA Entertainment, along with two other officials, Kiran and Sumanth.
The arrests followed an order from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, directing action against representatives of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), DNA Entertainment Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
A First Information Report (FIR) was filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. However, KSCA secretary Shankar and treasurer Jayram could not be located, as police were unable to find them at their residences. The arrested individuals are expected to be handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) later today.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, along with several other senior officials, on Thursday in connection with the ongoing investigation.
The Karnataka chief minister had said on Thursday, "The cabinet, in its wisdom, has made a decision to entrust (to investigate) yesterday's tragedy to a one-man judicial commission, headed by retired high court judge of Karnataka Justice Michael D'Cunha. We have told the commission to give the report in 30 days and also instructed IGP and DGP of the state to arrest immediately the RCB representative DNA event managers and the person representing KSCA.
"And also, the cabinet has made a decision to suspend immediately Police Inspector of the Cubbon Park PS, ACP of that particular area, DCP of Central division, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, the Incharge of the Stadium and Commissioner of Police of Bengaluru City. FIR was already filed yesterday. I have entrusted the inquiry to CID. These are the decisions that we have taken in the cabinet today."
As per the official order, senior IPS officer Seemanth Kumar Singh, who was serving as Additional Director General of Police, Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force, has now been appointed as the new Bengaluru Police Commissioner until further notice.