Karur stampede: SC to hear DMK plea on July 7
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on July 7 a plea filed by the DMK alleging that ministers in the Tamil Nadu Government were “actively influencing” witnesses in the CBI probe into last year’s Karur stampede case.
A partial working day bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu agreed to list the matter on Tuesday after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for DMK Secretary RS Bharati, sought an urgent hearing.
The plea also seeks to restrain Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, state minister Aadhav Arjuna and other accused people from making public statements on the case and to regulate their interaction with victims’ families during the pendency of the CBI probe.
Ahmadi told the court that witnesses were being “actively influenced” by ministers in the state Government and expressed apprehension that Vijay’s proposed visit to Karur on July 10 to meet victims’ families could affect the investigation.
Ahmadi submitted, “This court directed a CBI probe. Now, some accused who are now ministers in the present regime are attempting to actively influence the witnesses. We have filed an application”.
He said the petitioner can demonstrate from the record that witnesses were being influenced.
The bench then said, “We will have it tomorrow”.
The plea referred to reports that the chief minister is scheduled to visit Karur to distribute Government orders, compassionate appointments and other benefits to the families of the deceased and injured victims.
Bharathi, who has sought impleadment in a pending case, submitted that several people initially chargesheeted in the case were now ministers in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet following the 2026 assembly elections.
