Nikhil Sosale of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has been granted interim bail by the Karnataka High Court. Sosale was taken into custody following the tragic stampede on 4th June that claimed 11 lives during the team’s victory celebrations.
Sosale, who heads marketing and revenue at RCB, along with two representatives from DNA Entertainment—the event manager for RCB—was released under specific conditions. The most significant is the surrender of their passports, ensuring their cooperation with ongoing investigations.
At Thursday’s legal proceedings, Sosale’s defence claimed that the arrests were premature. They argued, “the arrests had been made solely on the orders of the Chief Minister [Siddaramaiah] without conducting any investigation and collecting any material to point out that the petitioners were responsible for the stampede.” This statement underscores their demand for thorough evidence before culpability is assigned.
The police maintain that RCB were refused permission to organise their victory parade at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the unfortunate incident unfolded. RCB, along with DNA Entertainment and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)—responsible for the stadium—have been named as primary accused. The tragedy prompted the resignations of KSCA’s treasurer, E.S. Jairam, and secretary, A. Shankar, who stepped down “citing moral responsibility.”
RCB officials, including Sosale, are expected to face an internal inquiry led by their parent company, Diageo. The franchise has remained comparatively silent, having only issued a public apology through a press release following the calamity. Furthermore, their social media channels have been dormant since.
While the legal and institutional responses continue to evolve, the granting of bail marks a new stage in a complex situation demanding clarity, accountability, and resolution.
