The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has finished the second phase of interrogating Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay regarding the Karur stampede incident, where 41 individuals lost their lives during a political rally last year. Vijay underwent nearly five-and-a-half hours of questioning on Monday, a significant development in the ongoing probe into the tragic event. The stampede occurred on September 27 in Karur during a campaign rally led by actor-politician Vijay, resulting in chaos and the fatal incident.
CBI took over the investigation following public outcry and legal actions, as directed by the Supreme Court to ensure an impartial and thorough inquiry. The investigative officials are currently stationed in a temporary camp in Karur, summoning individuals related to the case to Delhi for detailed questioning as part of the process. Vijay had previously faced over six hours of questioning on January 12, with the second round occurring on Monday.
During the recent questioning, CBI officials posed several direct inquiries to Vijay, including his observations on traffic congestion during his address to the crowd, reasons for the delay in crowd dispersal, traffic management measures taken, and the decision to proceed despite congestion. Vijay responded to various queries, requesting time for some and seeking documentary evidence for others. After the interrogation, Vijay briefly interacted with onlookers outside the CBI office before leaving, dispelling rumors of imminent arrest.
TVK administrator Nirmal Kumar clarified that no fresh summons were issued to Vijay post the recent questioning session, urging the public to disregard social media speculation about his arrest. Kumar assured full cooperation with the investigation from the party’s end. Sources suggest that the CBI plans to submit the charge sheet to the Supreme Court in the second week of February, ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, to address accountability for the lapses contributing to the tragic incident.
