 "Virat Kohli has had quite the topsy-turvy week, from fulfilling his lifelong dream of lifting the IPL trophy with RCB to being named in a police custody following a tragic incident in Bengaluru. AP")
Following the arrest of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s marking head and the detention of three executives from event management firm DNA Entertainment, a complaint has been filed against batting superstar Virat Kohli in connection with the stampede that had broken out at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru earlier this week and had left 11 dead.
According to news agency Asian News International, social activist HM Venkatesh submitted the complaint on Friday at the Cubbon Park Police Station, whose jurisdiction covers the Chinnaswamy Stadium that had witnessed tragic scenes on Wednesday.
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It was also at the Cubbon Park Police Station where Bengaluru Police had filed a First Information Report (FIR) in which the RCB franchise had been named as accused number one , with DNA Entertainment and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) named as accused number two and three respectively.
Why has a complaint been registered against Kohli
Venkatesh’s complaint against Kohli doesn’t name the batting superstar and former India and RCB captain as the individual directly responsible for causing 11 deaths and leaving several more – 75 according to some reports – injured. Instead, it accuses the 36-year-old of promoting “gambling through IPL” which “incited” people to gather outside the Chinnaswamy in large numbers, leading to the tragedy.
“Virat Kohli of the Bangalore RCB team is the most prominent among those who participated in such gambling and incited people to gather in a specific place and caused this tragedy. Therefore, we request you to please make Virat Kohli and his team members accused in the FIR of this tragedy and take action,” read Venkatesh’s complaint at the Cubbon Park Police Station.
The complaint will be considered under the already registered case against RCB and other parties and will be examined during the course of the ongoing investigation.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsKohli and wife Anushka Sharma had returned to London via Mumbai a day after the victory celebration in Bengaluru, which had taken place less than 24 hours after RCB defeated Punjab Kings by 6 runs to end a 17-year wait for a maiden IPL title.
RCB marking and revenue head Nikhil Sosale , however, was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport in the early hours of Friday in connection with the stampede case upon a directive from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased and also ordered an investigation into the incident.
Sosale had moved the Karnataka High Court later on Friday describing his arrest as arbitrary and illegal", but failed to get interim relief from police custory, with Justice SR Krishna Kumar adjourning proceedings to Monday.
The Karnataka HC, however, did grant interim conditional relief to senior KSCA officials, stating that no coercive action could be taken against them so long as they co-operated with the ongoing investigation and did not leave their jurisdiction.