The Karnataka High Court has provided temporary relief to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd, the event management company, in connection with the recent stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The court has directed officials to refrain from taking any coercive action against them until June 12. This order comes as Justice S R Krishna Kumar heard petitions filed by both RCB and DNA challenging the FIR (First Information Report) registered against them following the tragic incident that resulted in 11 fatalities.

During the hearing, the Advocate General (A-G) assured the High Court that the state government would not take any adverse actions against the petitioners until June 12, allowing the court time to further consider the matter. The court has adjourned the hearing to June 12. Justice Krishna Kumar cautioned the state government against making any unnecessary arrests, emphasizing a "gentleman's understanding" to maintain the status quo until the court resumes the hearing.

Senior advocate C V Nagesh, representing RCB and DNA, argued that there was no prima facie case against his clients. He contended that the allegations in the FIR were largely composite, implicating all three parties involved – the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), RCB, and DNA – without specifying independent grounds for action against RCB or DNA. Nagesh emphasized that it was the Chief Minister of Karnataka who had extended the invitation for the event, not the petitioners themselves.

However, the Advocate General (AG) argued that RCB and DNA's social media posts on 'X' (formerly Twitter) played a significant role in attracting a large crowd to the stadium. The AG stated that these posts, seen by millions, announced the event without obtaining the necessary permissions from the government.

In addition to the petitions filed by RCB and DNA, the High Court is also scheduled to separately hear the petition filed by Nikhil Sosale, Head of Marketing at RCB, on June 10. Sosale was arrested in connection with the stampede and is challenging his detention.

Following the stampede, the state government has taken several actions, including suspending five police officers, including the city's police commissioner, B. Dayananda. The investigation into the incident has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the circumstances and planning failures that led to the tragedy.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that the government is seriously considering relocating Bengaluru's cricket stadium. He expressed his personal anguish over the incident and defended the government's response, stating that no administrative missteps had occurred. He also questioned the opposition parties' stance on similar incidents in other states.

The Karnataka High Court has also taken suo moto cognizance of the stampede, registering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and seeking a detailed status report from the state government. The court has directed the government to file the report by June 10.