Supreme Court to hear DMK plea alleging witness influence in Karur Stampede case
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a fresh plea filed by the DMK alleging that ministers in the Tamil Nadu government, who are also accused in the Karur stampede case, are attempting to influence witnesses in the ongoing CBI investigation. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday before a Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu.
The application was filed by senior DMK leader R.S. Bharathi, who argued that recent public statements made by Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna, one of the accused in the case, could prejudice the court-monitored CBI probe. During the mention before the apex court, senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi submitted that some of the accused, now serving as ministers in the present government, were actively trying to influence witnesses connected to the investigation. The Bench agreed to list the matter for hearing on July 7.
The plea also referred to reports that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is expected to visit Karur later this week to distribute government appointments, relief measures and welfare assistance to the families of those who died in the stampede. Bharathi has urged the Supreme Court to ensure that any interaction with victims' families, who are key witnesses in the case, does not affect the fairness or independence of the CBI investigation.
The Karur stampede, which occurred during a political event in September last year, claimed 41 lives and left several others injured. In October 2025, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI investigation into the tragedy, observing that the incident had "shaken the national conscience." The apex court had also constituted a three-member supervisory committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi to oversee the probe and directed the Tamil Nadu government to extend full cooperation to the investigating agency.
The latest application adds a new dimension to the politically sensitive case, with the Supreme Court now set to examine allegations that political developments following the change of government in Tamil Nadu could impact the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
