Karur stampede: SC questions jurisdiction, fairness in Madras HC-ordered SIT probe; reserves order on TVK's plea

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on the plea filed by actor Vijays political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and others challenging the Madras High Courts order constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Karur stampede incident. We will pass appropriate orders. We will see what can be done, said a two-judge bench of the top court, comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice N.V. Anajaria. During the hearing, the bench questioned the manner in which the High Court passed the order. It noted that the SIT investigation was ordered based on a petition seeking a Standard Operating Protocol for political rallies, according to Live Law . The bench also asked how the principal bench in Chennai could pass orders when Karur falls under the jurisdiction of the Madurai bench, the report added. Before reserving the order, the court heard submissions from the TVK party, other petitioners, and the Tamil Nadu government, the respondent in the matter. The Supreme Court will also pass appropriate orders on the issue of certain victims pleas seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident. The Karur stampede, which occurred during the September 27 political rally of actor and TVK chief Vijay in Karur, claimed 41 lives and left over 60 people injured. The plea filed by TVKs secretary Aadhav Arjuna in the top court sought quashing of the Madras High Courts order constituting the SIT made up of senior Tamil Nadu police officers to investigate the stampede. During Fridays hearing, TVK questioned the setting up of the SIT by the Madras High Court. A pre-planned conspiracy by certain miscreants to create trouble at the rally site cannot be ruled out, TVK argued. Another petitioner, Selvaraj P., who lost a relative in the tragedy, noted that police officers did not even suffer minor injuries. Senior advocate Seshadiri Naidu, representing Paneerselvam Pitchaimuthu, argued for a CBI probe on the grounds that he is a real sufferer. In the same case, another petitioner, G.S. Mani, Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state legal cell and a Supreme Court lawyer, also sought a CBI inquiry. Manis plea further sought a stay on the Tamil Nadu Polices investigation into the Karur incident. Opposing the petitioners submissions, Senior Advocate Wilson, representing the Tamil Nadu government, submitted that victims cannot decide which agency should investigate their cases. He added that the CBI is required only in exceptional situations, and argued, No CBI probe is required in this case. TVK has also sought an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, arguing that a fair and impartial probe would not be possible if conducted solely by Tamil Nadu police officers. According to Tamil Nadu police, nearly 30,000 people gathered for the rally, although permission had been granted only for 10,000. Eyewitnesses claimed that security guidelines were allegedly violated, and that proper arrangements for food and drinking water were missing, which contributed to the tragedy. Police also blamed a seven-hour delay by Vijay in reaching the venue. In his appeal, Paneerselvam alleged that the state government failed in its duty to ensure public safety. Police investigations were compromised by official apathy and potential political interference, and there remain unanswered questions about the rally permission and post-incident response, the appeal stated.