NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea filed by the DMK that sought directions to restrain the chief minister and others from making public comments on the Karur stampede. The plea, which was later withdrawn by the DMK, alleged that visit to Karur by the accused could interfere with the investigation. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is expected to visit the families of the stampede victims in Karur on July 10.
“How can the Supreme Court implead a political opponent in a case? Is this a well-thought-out petition? What will be the consequence? Instead of fighting it out outside, you are turning the court into a political arena,” Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe said.
The DMK’s plea referred to reports that the chief minister is scheduled to visit Karur to distribute government orders on compassionate appointments and other benefits to the families of the deceased and injured victims.The bench asked the DMK — represented by senior advocate Ranjit Kumar — how visiting victims amounted to influencing witnesses, and questioned the party as to how could the court regulate the visit of the executive head.
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi, submitted that the accused in the Karur incident are trying to create a particular image or narrative. “They are trying to create an impression as if they are providing compensation. Despite the court having barred comments in the media, they are making statements,” he told the judges.
Do you want SC to regulate CM’s travel: Bench questions DMK
Hearing these submissions, the bench said, “It would be better if you do not press this petition. Do you want the Supreme Court to regulate the CM’s travel?”
After the court refused to entertain the plea, the DMK withdrew its application.
The Karur stampede, which occurred during a TVK rally on September 27 last year, claimed 41 lives and left 142 injured. Initially, the case was investigated by the state police.
However, the SC, in its order on October 13, 2025, transferred the probe to CBI, after the TVK approached the court seeking independent probe. The top court also directed that the probe be carried out under the supervision of a monitoring panel headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi, a former SC judge.
However, after the TVK government assumed office after election, the DMK alleged that CM Vijay and other accused ministers were attempting to influence the case.
RS Bharathi filed a petition in the SC seeking urgent directions to restrain the accused persons, now holding ministerial positions, from making public statements on the stampede.
It also referred to a statement made by minister Aadhav Arjuna on Thursday in which he allegedly said that there was “a score to settle” over the Karur incident and that the DMK government had “killed” Karur people through the police.
