Karur Showdown: DMK Flags 'Witness Tampering' Fears Before Vijay’s Visit, Asks SC Panel To Step In

Last Updated:July 09, 2026, 20:31 IST

The Tamil Nadu chief minister is scheduled visit to Karur on Friday, where he is slated to meet the families of those killed in the 2025 stampede

The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday approached a Supreme Court-appointed supervisory committee, seeking immediate intervention to prevent Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay from allegedly influencing material witnesses in the tragic 2025 Karur stampede case. The petition comes immediately ahead of the chief minister’s scheduled visit to Karur on Friday, where he is slated to meet the families of the victims to distribute financial assistance and government orders for compassionate appointments.

The memorandum, submitted by DMK Organising Secretary RS Bharathi to the committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, urges the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to institute strict safeguards. The move follows a significant legal setback for the DMK after the Supreme Court refused to entertain a similar plea earlier this week, noting that it would not convert the court into a forum for political disputes or regulate a chief minister’s official itinerary.

Fears of ‘Witness Tampering’ Under the Guise of Aid

The political flashpoint stems from the catastrophic stampede on September 27, 2025, during an election campaign rally hosted by Vijay’s party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which resulted in 41 deaths and left over 100 people injured. The disaster is currently subject to an ongoing, Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation.

The DMK’s Contention: The opposition argues that because the affected families are primary material witnesses in the criminal probe, any direct interaction with them by the chief minister or his cabinet colleagues risks compromising the integrity of the investigation.

The Demand for Safeguards: The DMK has formally requested that the CBI record and transparently preserve the current statements of all key witnesses before any state interaction takes place, ensuring the evidentiary value of the case remains legally unaffected.

Escalating Rhetoric and Political Hostility

The DMK’s latest manoeuvre also targets state Public Works Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna. In a parallel representation sent to both the supervisory committee and the CBI, the opposition demanded the registration of a criminal case against the minister for public remarks made on July 2. The DMK alleges that Arjuna sought to shift the blame for the 2025 tragedy onto the previous administration, accusing him of making statements that interdict the active probe.

Conversely, the ruling TVK has dismissed the allegations as a manifestation of political insecurity. Ruling representatives countered that the distribution of compassionate appointments is a transparent administrative measure to support grieving families, accusing the opposition of attempting to politicise rehabilitation efforts.

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Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra...Read More

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