Bengaluru Stampede Case: Karnataka High Court Asks State To Submit Proposed Chargesheet Material In Sealed Cover

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (March 3) orally asked the State to file in sealed cover the material forming part of the proposed chargesheet in an FIR filed against Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL)–which manages RCB IPL team and event management firm DNA Entertainment Networks Ltd over 2025 Bengaluru stampede.

Last year the high court had directed the State not to file the final report without the court's permission. Among other petitioners, RCB's Marketing and Revenue Head Nikhil Sosale has also filed a plea seeking quashing of an FIR.

When the matter was called Justice M Nagaprasanna orally said, "Now chargesheet was directed not to be filed without the leave of the court. They say chargesheet is ready".

At this stage the senior counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that there was an interim order granted in their favour. To this the court said, "Investigation was permitted to continue...no question of permitting them to file chargesheet unless I hear the matter...We'll hear the matter".

Meanwhile the State's counsel submitted that let the chargesheet be filed in the matter.

To this the court orally said, "If court were to permit investigation and filing of the final report it (writ petition) would have been dismissed that date itself. It is not dismissed. Investigation is permitted to continue to get to know what has happened. It doesn't mean that you are permitted to file chargesheet with the leave of the court unless I hear the matter. Matter should be heard...for the perusal of the court you can always give. If I permit you to file the chargesheet and permit them to challenge the chargesheet, then nothing remains in this case. There is no bar for me to peruse the chargesheet at all. I will peruse the chargesheet if there is anything we will permit it to be filed. If there is nothing whatever order is passed, will be passed...the hands of the State will not be tied to produce anything, nor can the petitioners object...".

During the hearing the court further orally said, "If there is any flaw in management...We must understand some precious lives are lost. We will have to examine it in a proper way".

The court thereafter listed the matter for hearing on March 16 and continued the operation of the earlier interim order.

It orally said, "I'll take it on 16th...I will take it and finish it...You place the chargesheet material in a cover to the court..."

Reportedly 11 people lost their lives in the stampede which had occurred in Bengaluru while over 30 people are stated to have suffered injuries. RCB won the 2025 IPL Final defeating Punjab Kings on June 3, 2025 winning the coveted trophy for the first time, since the inception of the IPL in 2008.

Case title: ROYAL CHALLENGERS SPORTS PRIVATE LIMITED AND ANOTHER STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS &

M/S DNA ENTERTAINMENT NETWORKS PRIVATE LIMITED AND STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS

NIKHIL SOSALE v/s STATE OF KARNATAKA & Batch

WP 16460/2025, WP 16452/2025, WP 16371/2025 and connected petitions