The Karnataka government has staunchly defended its decision to suspend IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, stating in the High Court on Thursday that the officer and his team behaved as if they were “servants of RCB” during the preparations for the IPL victory celebration event that ended in tragedy.
The incident, which occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL victory celebrations, resulted in the death of 11 people and left 33 injured in a stampede at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 5.
State Government’s Argument:
Representing the state, Senior Counsel PS Rajagopal told the Karnataka High Court that RCB submitted a proposal for their celebrations even before the IPL final had been played.
“The most obvious response from the IPS officer should have been: You haven’t taken permission,” Rajagopal argued, adding that the officers failed to consult their seniors or obtain mandatory authorisations before going ahead with security arrangements.
He cited Section 35 of the Karnataka State Police Act, which provides officers with adequate power to regulate events and crowds, and alleged that the failure to act within this authority reflected gross dereliction of duty.
“No senior-level consultation took place, and the officers behaved as if they were servants of RCB,” he said.
The government further questioned how a massive event with a crowd of over 3 to 5 lakh people was handled with barely 12 hours of preparation, and what steps the officers took in that limited time.
Criticism of Tribunal Ruling:
Rajagopal also came down hard on the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which reinstated Vikash Kumar Vikash with full salary and allowances on July 1.
The CAT’s observation that “police personnel are also human beings, not God or magicians” was sharply criticised by Rajagopal, who said:
“This is not what litigants expect from a judicial forum. That’s a line better suited for storytelling by grandparents.”
Legal Proceedings and Background:
A Division Bench of Justices SG Pundit and TM Nadaf is hearing the state’s petition challenging the CAT’s order. During hearings on July 2 and 3, the Bench refused to stay the Tribunal’s ruling and noted that a departmental reassignment could have been sufficient instead of suspension.
The Bench also urged both sides to avoid any precipitative action until the matter is resolved.
Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty told the court that Vikash had resumed duty in uniform. Meanwhile, Vikash’s counsel Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa assured the court that no contempt proceedings would be initiated over the matter.
Vikash is the only one among five suspended officers to challenge the disciplinary action so far. The others include:
- Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda
- DCP Shekar H Tekkannavar
- ACP C Balakrishna
- Inspector AK Girish
The CAT, in its ruling, found no strong evidence of negligence, arguing that the RCB’s sudden social media announcement left the police with little time to prepare, and “miracles couldn’t be expected.”