RCB, Virat Kohli In Legal Trouble After Bengaluru Stampede

An FIR has been filed against the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), event management company DNA Entertainment Networks, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The FIR comes a day after 11 people died in a horrific stampede near Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4.
The incident happened during a public event held to celebrate RCB’s first-ever IPL title win. Lakhs of fans had gathered outside the stadium to see their favorite players. The crowd grew too large, and a stampede broke out, leading to chaos and tragedy. Unfortunately, the security personnel were unable to control the large gatherings, leading to several deaths.

FIR on RCB, KSCA

According to ANI, an FIR on RCB, KSCA, and the event organisers has been filed at the Cubbon Park Police Station. It includes charges of criminal negligence. Police claimed that the organisers failed to control the crowd, which led to the loss of lives.
The case has been registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:
• Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder)
• Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt)
• Section 118 (causing hurt using dangerous means)
• Section 190 (liability of unlawful assembly)
• Section 132 (criminal force against public servants)
• Section 125(12) (acts endangering life)
• Section 142 (unlawful assembly)
• Section 121 (abetment of an offence)
These are serious charges that may lead to legal action against the organisers and those found responsible. G Jagadeesha, the District Magistrate of Bengaluru, has been appointed by the Karnataka government to lead the investigation. He said that notices would also be sent to:
• The KSCA
• The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation
• The RCB franchise
The DM added that the role of each party would be examined in detail. The authorities are also collecting CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses.
Earlier in the day, the Karnataka High Court asked the state government to submit a status report. The court said that the government must explain what went wrong and how the stampede occurred. It has asked for quick action to ensure such events are safe in the future.

RCB Offers Financial Help

Following the incident, Royal Challengers Bengaluru announced financial help for the victims’ families. In a statement, the franchise said it would give Rs 10 lakh to the families of each person who died in the stampede.
RCB also launched a relief program called ‘RCB Cares’. This initiative will help the 47 injured people who were hurt during the crowd surge. RCB said they were deeply saddened by the incident and would support the victims in every way possible.

FIR on Virat Kohli

This is not the only trouble for RCB in recent days. Earlier, there was also an FIR on the team's talismanic cricketer, Virat Kohli. One8 Commune, a pub owned by Kohli, has been caught in legal trouble, and the Bengaluru police have registered a suo motu case against the pub for violating the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
The FIR says that the pub failed to maintain a separate smoking area. This was found during a police check on World No Tobacco Day (May 31). The Cubbon Park police filed the case under Sections 4 and 21 of COTPA.
This is not the first time the pub has been in legal trouble. In July 2024, it was booked to stay open past the legal closing time. In December 2024, BBMP sent a notice for operating without a fire safety NOC. The authorities have warned that more inspections may happen soon. They later said that repeated violations raise questions about safety and law compliance.