A copy of the BCCI notice
‘RCB may be offloading ownership to evade responsibility’: BCCI notice
Bengaluru
In a major development following the tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, serious apprehensions have been raised over attempts by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise to offload ownership and evade accountability. The allegation, made in a formal complaint, suggests the franchise may be trying to shield itself from the legal and ethical consequences of alleged safety violations that resulted in the incident.
In response, Justice Arun Mishra, Ombudsman and Ethics Officer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and retired judge of the Supreme Court of India, has issued a Show Cause Notice to both the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the RCB franchise. The notice follows a complaint filed by IPS officer Vikash Kumar on June 12, 2025, and brings the spotlight back on issues of safety management and franchise accountability in one of India’s most prominent cricketing leagues. It should be noted that 11 people were killed and more than 70 injured during the stampede.
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Vikas, who was Additional Commissioner of Police (West) during the time of the incident was suspended by the government along with other IPS officers. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) recently ordered the reinstatement of the officer.
The complaint accuses RCB of gross negligence and violation of safety protocols, alleging that inadequate crowd control measures and disregard for established norms contributed to the deadly stampede. It demands that the RCB franchise be held directly accountable, and further requests the suspension of the team’s operations along with the invalidation of ongoing franchise sale negotiations until the matter is resolved.
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Taking note of the seriousness of the allegations, Justice Mishra has directed that both the KSCA and RCB file written replies to the complaint within four weeks, with a copy shared with the complainant. The respondents are also required to justify why the reliefs sought—specifically suspension and halting of sale talks—should not be granted. If needed, a rejoinder may be submitted within ten days after the responses.
In the notice, Justice Mishra highlighted the concern that the franchise might be strategically offloading ownership to evade potential legal and regulatory consequences. The Ombudsman has therefore ordered that status quo be maintained on all matters related to franchise ownership and ongoing negotiations until further notice. He also instructed that notice be issued on the interim relief sought by the complainant.
This development is likely to have significant implications for the Indian Premier League (IPL), not just for RCB but for the league’s governance mechanisms and how accountability is ensured in cases involving public safety failures. The BCCI’s handling of the case will be closely watched in the coming weeks as responses are filed and reviewed.
Read more Bengaluru development news here
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