Supreme Court orders CBI probe into Karur stampede
SC appoints three-member panel led by former judge Justice Ajay Rastogi to supervise probe
The Supreme Court on Monday (October 13) ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the recent stampede at Tamil Nadu’s Karur.
At least 41 people died when the stampede broke out during a political rally organised by actor-politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on September 27.
Ex-SC judge to head monitoring panel
A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria appointed former apex court judge, Ajay Rastogi, as the head of committee which will monitor the CBI probe.
On October 10, the apex court had reserved its order on a plea filed by TVK and others.
On Tuesday, the Chief Justice of India-headed bench agreed to hear BJP leader Uma Anandan's plea challenging the high court order refusing a CBI probe into the stampede.
Also read: Why Vijay's TVK opposes state-run SIT probe into Karur stampede
BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, G S Mani, has also filed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the stampede.
The apex court had earlier questioned the propriety of the Madras High Court passing two seemingly conflicting orders over the stampede – one declining a plea for a CBI probe (passed by the Madurai Bench) and another directing a probe by the SIT (passed by the principal bench).
TVK’s contention, charges of sabotage
TVK had moved the top court challenging the Madras High Court direction for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the incident, contending that a fair and impartial probe would not be possible if conducted solely by officers of the Tamil Nadu Police. It had sought an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court instead.
It alleged the possibility of a pre-planned conspiracy by some miscreants that led to the stampede.
Also read: Vijay reaches out to Karur stampede victims' families through video calls
The plea also took exception to the scathing remarks of the high court against the party and the actor-politician that they abandoned the place after the incident and did not express any remorse.
Earlier, the police said the rally saw a turnout of 27,000, nearly three times the expected 10,000 participants, and blamed a seven-hour delay by Vijay in reaching the venue for the tragedy.