The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an application by the DMK regarding the Karur stampede case on Tuesday. The application, filed by DMK Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi, seeks urgent listing and includes requests for FIR registration against Tamil Nadu Minister Aadhav Arjuna. Bharathi also seeks directions to prevent TVK Ministers from making public statements related to the case until the court-monitored CBI investigation is complete.
In the pending proceedings of the September 27, 2025, Karur stampede, where 41 people died and 142 were injured during a TVK rally, the DMK alleges that Minister Aadhav Arjuna’s public statements and proposed government benefits distribution to victims’ families could bias the ongoing CBI investigation. The application highlights a speech by Aadhav Arjuna on July 2, where he insinuated settling scores and blamed the previous DMK government for the tragedy.
The DMK’s application claims that such statements by a Cabinet Minister under investigation are unacceptable during an ongoing investigation and could prejudice the fairness of the process. It further alleges that the speech aimed to interfere with the CBI investigation and create a perception that the DMK was responsible for political reasons.
Reports suggest Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay might visit Karur to provide government benefits to victims’ families, raising concerns about fairness and independence in the court-monitored CBI investigation. While not opposing welfare measures, the DMK argues that direct interactions with families connected to the case could raise doubts about the investigative process’s impartiality.
The Supreme Court had earlier transferred the stampede investigation to the CBI under the supervision of a committee led by former apex court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi. This decision came after the Court expressed concerns about the handling of the case and noted discrepancies in the proceedings before the Madras High Court.
