Supreme Court to Hear Plea Alleging Witness Intimidation in Karur Stampede Case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear a fresh plea on Tuesday alleging that some of the accused in the Karur stampede case are attempting to influence witnesses after being inducted as ministers in the Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay.
A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu agreed on Monday to take up the matter for hearing. The plea raises concerns that public statements made by certain accused could affect the fairness of the ongoing investigation into the tragic stampede.
The Karur stampede occurred on September 27, 2025, during a rally organised by TVK, claiming the lives of 41 people and leaving 142 others injured. The incident is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
Earlier, on July 3, the DMK approached the apex court seeking directions to prevent TVK leaders, including Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and Minister Aadhav Arjuna, from making public comments related to the case while the CBI probe is underway.
The application was filed by DMK Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi, who has sought to be added as a respondent in the ongoing proceedings. The petition argues that remarks made by leaders who are themselves facing investigation could undermine the integrity of the probe.
The plea specifically refers to a speech delivered by Minister Aadhav Arjuna on July 2, in which he allegedly said there was “a score to settle” and blamed the previous DMK government for the Karur tragedy. According to the petition, such statements from a serving Cabinet minister who is also an accused are inappropriate while the investigation is still in progress.
The DMK has further alleged that the remarks were intended to influence public opinion and interfere with the CBI’s investigation by shifting responsibility for the incident onto the opposition for political advantage.
The application also mentions media reports suggesting that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is expected to visit Karur on July 10 to distribute government assistance, including compassionate appointments, to the families of those who lost their loved ones in the stampede.
The Supreme Court is expected to examine these concerns when the matter comes up for hearing. The case continues to draw political attention as the investigation into one of Tamil Nadu’s deadliest political rally tragedies remains underwa
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
