Arrested RCB marketing head gets bail

Royal Challengers Bengaluru marketing head Nikhil Sosale has been granted bail by the Karnataka High Court in the Bengaluru stampede case. The RCB official was arrested after the tragedy that unfolded in the heart of Bengaluru following RCB’s IPL 2025 title win. 11 people were killed and several were injured in a stampede outside M Chinnaswamy stadium the day after RCB lifted their maiden IPL trophy.

RCB official gets bail in stampede case

RCB’s head of marketing and two employees of DNA Entertainment Network were arrested on June 6. Sosale was arrested by the Central Crime Branch officials from the airport. RCSPL, the group that manages RCB, had moved Karnataka HC seeking the FIR to be quashed.

The Karnataka HC, which had adjourned the case earlier, granted bail to Sosale on June 12. Additionally, the court has asked the RCB official to surrender his passport, as per news agency PTI.

Earlier, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) treasurer and secretary had tendered their resignations on moral grounds following the stampede.

RCB and the Karnataka government have gone back and forth at each other in the court. Earlier, reports stated that in its plea, RCB claimed that the entire public was invited for the felicitation event by Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. However, the state government blamed the IPL franchise for the stampede.

In its petition, RCSPL claimed that the prosecution and proceedings against the petitioners was to shift the blame for the stampede on to private entities and individuals.

“This is particularly evident in the context of the public pronouncements made by the Chief Minister directing the “immediate arrest” of RCB executives, despite an ongoing official inquiry into the incident and suspension of police officials for dereliction of duty,” it stated.