DMK seeks SC order to stop TVK leaders from 'threatening' statements in Karur stampede case
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to prevent leaders of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), including Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Minister Adhav Arjuna, from making what it terms as 'threatening' public statements or levelling 'false accusations' against political opponents in connection with the Karur stampede.
The application, filed by DMK Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi, seeks impleadment in the pending case before the apex court on the stampede. The plea arises from public statements allegedly made by Minister Adhav Arjuna against former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin regarding the stampede that occurred during a TVK rally on September 27 last year, resulting in 41 deaths and 142 injuries.
Mr. Bharathi contended that Mr. Arjuna's statements on July 2 were intended to shift blame onto Mr. Stalin, who was Chief Minister at the time of the tragedy, thereby prejudicing the ongoing Supreme Court-ordered Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. The statements essentially claimed that the previous DMK government had 'killed Karur people' through police action on the crowd at the rally.
The DMK leader noted that Mr. Arjuna is both a Cabinet Minister and an accused in the Karur stampede case. His conduct as an 'accused holding a public office' is impermissible and prejudicial to the fairness of the CBI investigation, the plea argued.
The application seeks a direction to the CBI to register a complaint and proceed against the public statements made by Mr. Arjuna for allegedly influencing, tampering with witnesses, and impeding the investigation.
Mr. Bharathi further submitted that Chief Minister Vijay is likely to travel to Karur on or about July 10 to meet families of the deceased and injured victims and hand over government benefits, including orders of compassionate appointment. The State government has already announced an ex gratia payment of ₹10 lakh to affected families, according to the application filed by senior advocate P. Wilson and advocate Anuradha Arputham.
The DMK leader clarified that he has no objection to the State government extending ex gratia assistance, compassionate appointments, or other welfare measures to the grieving families. However, he expressed apprehension that members of these families and those injured are material witnesses in an active investigation.
'In these exceptional circumstances, when the investigation is still pending, any direct interaction with such material witnesses by persons connected with the subject matter of the investigation or by the political executive presently in office, particularly while distributing benefits arising out of the very incident under investigation, has the potential to give rise to an apprehension, whether real or perceived, regarding the fairness and independence of the investigative process,' Mr. Bharathi submitted.
The application noted that Chief Minister Vijay had, even before assuming public office, distributed substantial sums of money to the families of the victims while criminal proceedings were pending.
'While the State government shall be at liberty to extend ex gratia assistance, compassionate appointments, government orders and other welfare measures to the families of the deceased and injured victims of the Karur stampede, no such benefits shall be conferred during the pendency of the CBI investigation except in accordance with the procedure and safeguards as may be directed by the Supreme Court and after placing the proposed course of action before the CBI,' the application urged.
