Vijay’s TVK Rally: Tamil Nadu BJP Leader Moves Supreme Court Seeking CBI Probe In Karur Tragedy

A Tamil Nadu BJP leader has moved the Supreme Court, seeking a CBI probe into the September 27 stampede in Karur during a political rally of actor and TVK founder Vijay that killed 41 people and injured over 60.

The plea, filed by GS Mani, an apex court lawyer and vice-president of the state legal cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also sought a stay on the Tamil Nadu police’s investigation into the Karur incident.

The higher court has already listed other pleas related to an Oct. 10 hearing.

In his plea filed through R Sathish, Mani urged the court to transfer the investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police to the CBI or an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a current or former Supreme Court judge.

“The petitioner who is a public citizen and also an advocate of the regular exercises of this court…has filed this SLP against the impugned joint final judgment…dated October 3…in a batch of writ petitions, inter alia…filed by him, seeking transfer of the investigation from the respondent State Local Police to the CBI and payment of adequate remuneration, tamine, in the manner of the empie said.

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It said the High Court had ruled that sweeping allegations, without tangible material, could not justify the transfer of the investigation to a central agency.

“The (high) court also refused to direct increased remuneration, noting that the state government had announced compensation of ₹10 lakh to the family of each victim, while the political party had announced ₹20 lakh. The incident is not only a case of criminal negligence but also a gross violation of Article 21 of the Constitution,” according to the plea.

A free, fair and impartial investigation is part of the fundamental right to life and liberty not only of the victims but also of every citizen, he said.

“When the state machinery itself is suspected, the investigation should be entrusted to an independent agency like the CBI, or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a retired/serving judge of the Supreme Court,” the plea said.

The petitioner also sought increased remuneration for the victims, urging the court to order the state government and TVK to pay higher ex-gratie amounts.

The plea sought compensation of ₹50 lakh per deceased from the state government and ₹1 crore each from the actor and his political party.

So far, the Tamil Nadu government has provided compensation of ₹10 lakh per deceased, while Vijay contributed ₹20 lakh each from his personal funds.

On October 3, the High Court formed an SIT to probe the stampede.

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The principal bench of the High Court also rejected a BJP leader’s plea seeking a CBI probe into the incident and directed him to approach the Madurai bench.

The High Court formed the SIT under the Principal Officer and Inspector General of IPS, North Zone, Asra Garg. He also criticized the organizers of the event, the TVK leadership and the police at The Stampede, who killed several women and children, among others.

A total of 41 people died in the stampede, with police noting that the rally saw a turnout of 27,000, almost three times the expected figure of 10,000.

Police also blamed a seven-hour delay on Vijay’s part in reaching the venue for the tragedy.