Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay greets people during a public rally, in Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu. (PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI: The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an independent investigation led by a former Supreme Court judge into the stampede at party president and actor Vijay’s rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district on September 27. The incident claimed 41 lives and injured several others.The plea, filed through advocates Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, and Yash S Vijay, challenges the Madras high court’s October 3 order that directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Inspector General of Police to carry out a detailed probe into the incident, news agency ANI reported.The petition argues that despite the high court’s remarks questioning the independence of the police investigation, it still directed the creation of an SIT made up only of senior officers from the Tamil Nadu Police.”The Petitioner-party as well as its leaders are prejudiced by the order which appoints an SIT composed solely of officers of the State Police, especially in the face of the observations of the Hon’ble high court expressing its dissatisfaction with the independence of State Police and its conduct, and prejudicial factual findings against the Petitioner,” the plea states.It further claims that a planned conspiracy by certain miscreants to create disorder at the rally site cannot be ruled out and that an impartial investigation is necessary to examine all differing versions of the events. The plea also says that some strong remarks made by the Madras HC against TVK have caused serious prejudice to the party and its office-bearers. It adds that these observations and directions were issued without factual verification, evidence examination, or giving the party or its leaders a chance to respond, thereby violating the principles of natural justice and fair trial.The petition specifically challenges the high court’s observation criticising TVK leaders for allegedly “fleeing from the scene of occurrence” and failing to help the public.According to the plea, these remarks are factually wrong and misleading. “The contemporaneous sequence of events clearly establishes that, upon receiving information that certain individuals had fainted during the event, the Petitioner’s leadership and Party cadre took immediate and coordinated steps to ensure medical aid and relief were provided without delay,” it asserts.On October 3, the Madras HC had ordered the formation of an SIT led by the Inspector General of Police to investigate the stampede, which resulted in 41 deaths and several injuries. The court also banned political rallies, roadshows, and similar public gatherings along state and national highways until Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are framed.The high court had criticised TVK workers for not helping the victims during the incident and questioned the State government for its lenient handling of the organisers.Separately, the Supreme Court will on Friday (October 10) hear an appeal against the Madras high court’s earlier decision rejecting a plea for a CBI investigation into the September 27 stampede.