Heartbreaking Delay: A-G’s Commitment to Karnataka High Court on Cunha Commission’s Stampede Report
The Karnataka state government has committed to the High Court that it will not publish or circulate the report from the John Michael Cunha Commission, which investigated the tragic stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 4. This assurance was made during a hearing before a Division Bench consisting of Justice Jayant Banerji and Justice Umesh M. Adiga, in response to a petition from DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd., the event management partner for Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd., owners of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
DNA filed the petition alleging that the commission mishandled its inquiry, specifically citing violations of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. One significant complaint was that DNA was not afforded the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, a process it deemed essential for a fair investigation. The petition also claimed that the government had leaked details from the commission’s report to the media, a point the State Advocate-General, Shashi Kiran Shetty, denied, asserting that the government had no involvement with media reports on the matter.
In a related development, senior advocate B.K. Sampath Kumar, representing DNA, revealed that while the government declined to provide DNA with a copy of the commission’s report, it confirmed in writing that the report had already been submitted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The CID is currently probing the stampede incident, which is based on three First Information Reports filed on June 5.
During the proceedings, the Bench raised inquiries regarding discrepancies between the inquiry process used by the commission and the prescribed methods in the Commissions of Inquiry Act. The A-G acknowledged the ongoing CID investigation into the stampede, which has been under review since June. Additionally, the judges noted some of the commission’s findings as “shocking” and emphasized that they were not making any definitive remarks at this stage.
As the hearing concluded, the court scheduled a follow-up session for September 4, during which the government is expected to submit written objections to DNA’s petition. This case has garnered attention not only due to the tragic event itself but also because of the procedural issues surrounding the commission’s inquiries, underscoring the complex interplay between governmental oversight and accountability in such investigations.
The tension surrounding the stampede report highlights significant concerns about transparency in the inquiry process, as well as the implications for event management practices in Bengaluru. As the situation continues to unfold, stakeholders await further developments in both the CID investigation and the upcoming court hearings.
Published – August 13, 2025, 10:26 PM IST.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/will-not-either-publish-or-circulate-cunha-commissions-report-on-stampede-for-now-a-g-gives-undertaking-to-karnataka-high-court/article69929053.ece
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Publish Date: 2025-08-13 22:26:00
