The Karnataka government has moved the High Court challenging an order by the Central Administrative Tribunal setting aside the suspension of a Bengaluru police officer after the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 persons, Live Law reported.

On June 5, the state government suspended Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash and four others, accusing them of dereliction of duty. Vikash had challenged the suspension before the Central Administrative Tribunal, which on Tuesday said that the officer was suspended without sufficient grounds.

The tribunal directed the state government to reinstate Vikash immediately.

On Thursday, during the hearing of the state’s plea against the tribunal’s order, the High Court asked the government to justify the continued suspension of the officer, Live Law reported. It also questioned whether a transfer would have been a sufficient measure instead.

Advocate General K Shashi Kiran Shetty, representing the state, informed the court that he would submit records justifying the suspension and sought a stay on the tribunal’s directive. He added that the suspended officer had “gone in uniform to take charge” while the matter was still being heard.

Addressing the counsel for the officer, the bench said that while the suspension order was stayed by the tribunal, a separate reinstatement order is still needed.

The advocate general then requested that the matter be heard on Friday.

In its plea before the High Court, the Karnataka government had alleged that the tribunal made findings about the stampede as if it had already investigated the incident, Bar and Bench reported. It said that this approach was “wholly perverse” and contrary to principles governing judicial governance in matters about suspension.

The government said it had placed on record an analysis of the sequence of events that unfolded on June 3 and June 4. Despite this, the tribunal quashed the suspension order without considering the material on record, the state added.

The stampede had taken place at Gate Number 3 of the stadium on June 4, where fans had gathered to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory in the Indian Premier League. Eleven persons were killed and more than 50 were injured.