MADURAI: TVK’s petition seeking CBI investigation into the Karur stampede, which was expected to be heard by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday, was not taken up as the court decided to stick to the sitting arrangement already planned by the Madras HC for the Dussehra vacation.
As per the HC’s notification on the vacation sitting arrangement dated September 23, the court will be on vacation for nine days from September 27 (Saturday) to October 5 (Sunday). September 30 (Tuesday) is the designated date for filing petitions and October 3 (Friday) is the day reserved for the vacation sitting.
Citing this, TVK’s advocate S Arivazhagan, who had come to the HC bench to file the petition after mentioning the matter before the bench’s vacation judge Justice M Dhandapani in Chennai on Sunday, was told to file the petition on Tuesday.
Addressing reporters on the court premises, Arivazhagan said the petitioner Aadhav Arjuna, TVK’s general secretary for election campaign management, has alleged conspiracy behind the stampede and that attempts are being made to tamper with evidence and witnesses. His plea seeks directions for CBI probe, preserving the CCTV footage, and to restrain the Karur district authorities from preventing the party president Vijay from visiting the families of the victims. Arivazhagan expressed hope that the petition would be heard on Friday.
Sources said two more pleas seeking enhanced compensation to victims and deregistration of TVK are likely to be filed.
