The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Tuesday, July 1, annulled the Karnataka government’s arbitrary suspension of Inspector General of Police (IGP) officer Vikash Kumar Vikash concerning the Bengaluru stampede that claimed 11 young lives.
A bench comprising Justice BK Shrivastava and Santhosh Mehra stated that the order was passed in a “mechanical way” and there was no “convincing material for showing the default or negligence of the concerned police officers” at the time.
“The police officers have been suspended without any sufficient material or grounds. Hence, the aforesaid order is liable to be quashed,” the tribunal said.
“We also feel our duty to draw attention of the state government towards the settled principle of law that where a citizen aggrieved by an action of government department has approached the court and obtain a declaration of law in his/her favour, other similarly situated ought to be extended the benefit without the need for them to come to court,” the order added.
The CAT order is expected to facilitate the return of the three suspended IPS officers to the police department.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on June 5 ordered the suspension of five officers, including those of the circle police inspector of the Cubbon Park police station, AK Girish, and assistant commissioner of police C Balakrishna, deputy commissioner of police of the Central Division, Shekhar H Tekkannavar, and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, Dayananda.
The tragic event claimed 11 the lives of young RCB fans, all below the age of 30.
