Karnataka HC relaxes travel restrictions on RCB marketing head in stadium stampede case

Bengaluru, Nov 11 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday eased a key bail condition imposed on Nikhil Sosale, Marketing Head of IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who is among the accused in the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede case.

Sosale, arrested on June 6 and released on bail six days later, was earlier barred from leaving Bengaluru as part of his bail conditions.

Seeking modification of the order, Sosale approached the court arguing that his professional duties required him to travel across the country.

The court, after reviewing the records, observed that Sosale’s role demanded frequent travel within India and that he had undertaken to keep the investigating officer informed about all his movements.

Accepting this assurance, the bench ruled that it was reasonable to grant relief.

“It is expedient to allow the application. The condition is relaxed subject to the petitioner informing the investigating officer before leaving the city and also upon his return,” the court stated in its order.

Senior advocate Sandesh J Chouta, appearing on his behalf, pointed out that similar restrictions placed on the co-accused had already been relaxed in separate petitions by M/s DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd. and the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

However, the High Court clarified that the requirement for Sosale to surrender his passport, which was part of his initial bail terms, remains unchanged. This means he is still barred from travelling abroad.

The stampede occurred on June 4 evening outside the Chinnaswamy cricket stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations.

Eleven people died and a number of people were injured in the incident. PTI COR KSU ROH