KARUR: The Judicial Magistrate Court I in Karur on Wednesday refused to extend the custody of two TVK functionaries arrested in connection with the stampede during Vijay’s rally at Velusamypuram. VP Mathiyazhagan, Karur West district secretary, and Masi Pounraj, Karur Central district secretary, were arrested on September 30 and remanded in judicial custody till October 14. With their custody ending on Monday, they were virtually produced before the court from Tiruchy Central Prison.
The SIT, constituted as per the Madras High Court’s direction, had been handling the probe before it was transferred to the CBI following a Supreme Court order earlier this week. When the bail plea was filed, the SIT initially objected, prompting the court to seek their personal appearance on Wednesday.
Hearing the plea, the court considered the change in investigating agency and refused to extend the custody, TVK counsel Arasu told the TNIE. Both of them are set to be released from jail. Meanwhile, the Karur district principal sessions court on Wednesday dismissed the bail petition of Venkatesan, East Salem district secretary of the TVK, who was arrested on October 9 for allegedly assaulting a private ambulance driver during the stampede.