Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay who reached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in New Delhi on Monday in connection with the probe into the Karur stampede tragedy is being questioned on multiple aspects of the case.
The incident claimed the lives of 41 people. The stampede occurred in September last year, during a massive gathering organised by the TVK to welcome actor-turned-politician and the party’s founder. The massive political rally was addressed by Vijay, marking one of the deadliest crowd disasters in Tamil Nadu's recent political history.
Sources said a special team is questioning him at the agency's headquarters.Last week, the CBI issued a notice to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President Vijay, asking him to join the investigation in connection with the stampede case. He was asked to appear for questioning on January 12 in Delhi.The agency already examined several office-bearers of the TVK and now decided to question Vijay, after which it is expected to take a call on filing a charge sheet in the matter.
The probe into the incident has seen multiple legal turns. Initially, the Madras High Court had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the circumstances leading to the tragedy. However, the Supreme Court later transferred the investigation to the CBI, directing that it be monitored by a panel headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
The top court also quashed a one-member commission appointed earlier by the Tamil Nadu government, agreeing with arguments that a more independent and credible probe was required. Notably, Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had itself sought an independent investigation into the incident. In October, the Supreme Court directed the CBI Director to a appoint a senior officer to lead the investigation and const senior officer to lead the investigation and constituted a a 3-member supervisory committee headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Ajay Rastogi to monitor the probe.
While ordering the CBI inquiry, a bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and N V Anjaria said the Karur stampede left a deep imprint on the national conscience and had wide ramifications on citizens’ right to life.Opposition leaders, including those from the Congress, have alleged that central agencies, including the CBFC, are being misused to pressure TVK ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections due in a few months. Without naming the film, Chief Minister MK Stalin recently remarked that the CBFC had "joined the list of central agencies being used as weapons by the Union government."However, BJP, which has recently revived ties with the AIADMK, has denied these allegations.
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