Chinnaswamy stampede: Karnataka govt revokes suspension of 4 police officers, including Dayanand IPS
Bengaluru, Jul 28 (PTI): Karnataka government on Monday revoked the suspension of four police officers, including the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, who were suspended in connection with the June 4 stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium here, which left 11 people dead.
However, the suspension of Vikash Kumar Vikash - Inspector General of Police, stands as proceedings related to his case are currently underway in the Karnataka High Court, official sources said.
According to the government order, the suspension has been revoked as both the Judicial Commission and Magisterial committee have completed their inquiry into the stampede incident and submitted their reports to the government, and the officers have also submitted representations requesting to revoke their suspension.
The officials whose suspensions have been revoked are IPS officers: B Dayananda - Additional Director General of Police and Shekar H Tekkannavar - Superintendent of Police. Also, two Karnataka State Police Service officers: C Balakrishna - Deputy SP and A K Girish - Police Inspector.
On July 1, the central administrative tribunal (CAT) Bengaluru bench quashed the suspension of Vikash, challenging which, the state government had moved the High Court.
"In view of the facts and circumstances explained in the preamble, the Government of Karnataka, in exercise of the powers conferred under Rule3(7)(c) of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1969, hereby revokes the order of suspension of B Dayananda, IPS (KN: 1994) and Shekar H Tekkannavar, IPS (KN: 2014) and reinstates into service with immediate effect, pending the initiation of Disciplinary proceedings under Rule 8 of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1969," an official order said.
It said, "Further, Government of Karnataka in exercise of the powers conferred under rule 5(5) of Karnataka State Police (Disciplinary Proceedings) rule 1965, hereby revokes the order of suspension of C Balakrishna, Dy.SP and Ð K Girish, Police Inspector and reinstates into service with immediate effect, pending the initiation of Disciplinary proceedings as per Rules."
The stampede occurred on June 4 evening outside the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on June 5 had ordered the suspension of five officers.
"...it is found that there has been on the face of it substantial dereliction of duty by these officers," their suspension order had said.
The order revoking the suspension issued on Monday says the government had ordered a magisterial inquiry by Jagadish G, IAS, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Bengaluru Urban District into the stampede incident. Further, the government had also constituted an one man Judicial Commission under chairmanship of Retired Justice of High Court of Karnataka John Michael Cunha to inquire into the same incident.
Since, both the Judicial Commission and Magisterial committee have completed their enquiry into the stampede incident and submitted their reports to the government on July 10 and July 11 respectively and further the officers also have submitted representations requesting to revoke their suspension, the order of suspension of the officers have been reconsidered by the government, it said.
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Posters declaring Samrat as new Bihar CM put up outside Patna BJP office as Nitish heads to Delhi
Patna (PTI): Posters declaring Samrat Choudhary, the deputy CM of Bihar, as the man who would head the new government in the state, were on Thursday put up outside the BJP office in Patna as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar left for Delhi to be sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP.
The posters, a few of which were pulled down by the party office staff, bore the label of 'Valmiki Samaj', a community of Dalits associated with scavenging work.
"We do not know who has put up these posters. We can, at this moment, only say that who would be the next CM is a decision to be taken collectively, as has been the party's tradition," BJP state media in charge Danish Eqbal told reporters.
Speculations are rife that upon being sworn in as Rajya Sabha MP on Friday, Kumar, who turned 75 last month, will hold the last meeting of his cabinet next week before giving up the chief minister's post.
Choudhary, who is seen as the front-runner among those in the race for the top job, has experienced a meteoric rise since he joined the BJP less than a decade ago.
Hailing from the Koeri caste, an influential OBC group which both the BJP and the main opposition party RJD have been trying to woo with equal intensity, Choudhary was made the state party president in 2023 and became the Deputy CM a year later, when the NDA was back in power following the JD(U) supremo's return to the coalition.
When the NDA retained power in the assembly polls held last year, Choudhary returned as Deputy CM, this time with the crucial Home portfolio, which Kumar had so far been averse to parting with.
According to sources in the BJP, which is currently the single largest party in the 243-strong assembly, the new government will be formed after April 14, when the month-long inauspicious Hindu calendar period of 'Kharmaas' ends.
The sources said top leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to be present at a "grand ceremony" that will mark the formation of the "first ever BJP government in Bihar", the only Hindi heartland state where the seat of power has eluded the party.
While Choudhary was being admittedly seen as the "most preferred" candidate for the top job, a "surprise" could not be ruled out since the final decision would be taken by the BJP's top leadership, known for adopting a "shock and awe" strategy.
Meanwhile, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad was asked about reports that the BJP was likely to hold a meeting in Delhi to discuss the formation of the new government in Bihar.
Prasad told PTI Video, "Of course, being a significant constituent of the NDA, the BJP has the right to hold deliberations on the emerging situation. But one thing is clear. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's consent will be sought while deciding his successor. Moreover, he will continue to spend as much time as possible in the state to offer guidance to the new government."
