The Karnataka High Court on Friday barred the administration from taking any coercive action against the Karnataka State Cricket Association in the Bengaluru stadium stampede case.The high court ruling came as a big relief to the state cricket body officials who were protected from arrest after they were named in the FIR filed in the case, along with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited, citing various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.The three organisers were booked for "criminal negligence" in the incident which claimed 11 lives with 56 others injured when a huge crowd gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during a ceremony to felicitate IPL 18 winners RCB on June 4.Justice SR Krishna Kumar, directing the petitioner to not leave the jurisdiction of the court without permission, also instructed KSCA officials to cooperate with the probe."No precipitative be taken against management of Karnataka State Cricket Association till the next date of hearing, subject to condition that they shall cooperate with the investigation," Justice Kumar said.Advocate General Shashi Kiran, representing the state, submitted that the investigation should be allowed to continue and that the police will not be arresting anybody for the time being.To this, the petitioner's lawyer mentioned before the court that the marketing head of RCB had been arrested. "One accused was arrested at an airport. He was trying to escape. He was going to Dubai," the AG clarified.The petitioner's counsel retorted, saying that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had himself said on Thursday that there would be arrests of the representatives of the organisers- RCB, DNA Entertainment Private Limited and the KSCA.However, the court assured the officials' protection from arrest and adjourned the matter to hear the petition seeking quashing of the case to June 16. Earlier, the KSCA distanced itself from the chaos that erupted during the RCB victory celebrations, squarely blaming the state government, RCB, and event organisers for the mismanagement that led to a stampede.Published By: Anuja JhaPublished On: Jun 6, 2025