K'taka Govt Moves HC Against CAT Order Quashing IPS Officer's Suspension In Stampede Case

(MENAFN- IANS) Bengaluru, July 2 (IANS) The Siddaramaiah government has approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which revoked the suspension of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash in connection with the June 4 stampede incident that claimed 11 lives in Bengaluru.

Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty has filed a petition before the court seeking an urgent hearing of the matter.

However, the High Court bench questioned the urgency of taking up the issue. In response, Advocate General Shetty submitted that the senior IPS officer in question was preparing to resume charge following the CAT's order.

The court has listed the matter for hearing on Thursday.

The Central Administrative Tribunal, while quashing the Congress government's suspension order, stated on Tuesday that the action was not based on sufficient or substantial material.

Senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, one of five officers suspended in connection with the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, had approached the tribunal challenging his suspension.

The CAT bench further stated,“Therefore, in light of the aforesaid settled position of law, we expect the government to extend the same benefit to the other suspended officers.”

The bench added that other officers should be granted the same relief without having to individually approach the court.

“Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither 'God' (Bhagwan), nor magicians, and do not possess magical powers like 'Alladdin ka Chirag' that fulfils wishes at the rub of a finger. To manage such gatherings and make proper arrangements, sufficient time must be provided to the police. But in this case, no information was given to them,” the CAT observed.

The tribunal noted that the officers were suspended without sufficient grounds or evidence, and therefore, the suspension orders are liable to be quashed.

The Karnataka government, on Tuesday, formulated the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for crowd management at events and mass gatherings. These specify pre-event planning and preparation, coordination, on-ground deployment and access control, emergency preparedness, arrest procedures and crowd dispersal orders, use of force, and other matters.

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