Bengaluru: Contrary to popular perception that the state govt had little time to arrange security for RCB’s IPL victory celebration — where 11 people died and 75 were injured — it has now emerged that chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh approved the event before the final was even played.A letter widely shared on social media shows Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) had sought permission on the morning of June 3, hours before the IPL final was held. The request was reportedly routed through the department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR), which Rajneesh heads, and was endorsed before the outcome of the IPL final was known.This early approval has sparked outrage within administrative and policing circles, especially after the govt crack down on senior police officers. “Three IPS officers have been suspended, and another transferred. But no accountability has been fixed on the senior-most IAS officer who cleared the event without taking police into confidence,” said a former director general of police.Another senior official flagged potential political interference behind the scenes. “There’s a buzz in Vidhana Soudha that permission was fast-tracked at the behest of a close aide of the CM, who is eyeing the KSCA president post.”These revelations have deepened criticism of the govt, which is already battling public anger over its handling of the tragedy. Opposition parties have accused the governing party of leveraging RCB’s popularity for political mileage, bypassing caution and ignoring red flags.With questions now swirling around bureaucratic conduct and possible political influence, the scope of the one-man judicial commission headed by former Karnataka high court judge Justice Michael Cunha may widen. Some say the inquiry must examine not just operational lapses but also decision-making at the highest levels of the state administration.