In a major development, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) ordered the reinstatement of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash (IPS:2004:KN), who had been suspended in the aftermath of the June 4 stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The tribunal also directed the Karnataka government to treat his entire suspension period as official duty.
Vikash, who was serving as Additional Commissioner of Police (West), Bengaluru City, was suspended by the state government following the stampede that occurred during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory parade. The incident claimed 11 lives and left nearly 70 others injured.
Challenging the suspension, Vikash filed a petition before the CAT on June 9. In his plea, he argued that the suspension was arbitrary and imposed without following due process. He alleged he had been made a scapegoat and was not given an opportunity to explain the circumstances. He also maintained that the police had not granted permission for the RCB parade.
In its order, the CAT stated that the suspension of police officers in the given circumstances was not based on sufficient or substantial material. The tribunal noted that, at the time the order was passed, there was no convincing evidence pointing to default or negligence by the concerned officers. “Prima facie, it appears that, at the time of passing the impugned order of suspension, no material was available showing ‘substantial dereliction of duty’,” the tribunal observed, adding that the suspension was therefore liable to be quashed.
Five officers—three IPS and two from the State Police Service—were suspended following the incident. However, Vikash was the only one who challenged the order before the tribunal. The other officers suspended include B Dayananda (IPS:1994:KN), ADG and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City; Shekhar H. Tekkannavar (IPS:2014:KN), DCP (Central Division); C. Balakrishna, ACP (Cubbon Park); and A.K. Girish, Inspector (Cubbon Park Police Station).
While all five officers were initially held responsible for “substantial dereliction of duty,” only Vikash sought legal recourse—and the CAT ruled in his favour.
Following the tribunal’s direction, Vikash is expected to submit the CAT order to the state government and seek reinstatement, likely to the same post. However, sources indicate that the Congress-led Karnataka government is considering challenging the CAT ruling in the High Court.
Notably, the central government has also approved the suspension of the three IPS officers involved in the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede case.
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