Vijay’s TVK files reply to Tamil Nadu government’s plea seeking to set aside CBI probe into Karur stampede

NEW DELHI: Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK has filed its reply (preliminary-rejoinder) to the Tamil Nadu government’s plea urging the Supreme Court to set aside its order that handed over the probe into the Karur stampede case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In its response, the TVK has claimed that the Tamil Nadu government’s plea (counter-affidavit) lacks material facts and provides no valid reason to remove the jurisdiction of the CBI and the supervisory committee, constituted by the top court.

TVK asserts that several statements in the State government’s counter-affidavit are false and misleading. Considering such claims would hinder the ongoing investigation and its supervision, TVK added.

“The Respondents (Tamil Nadu government) are erroneously claiming that the Petitioner (TVK) has misled this Hon’ble Court, omitted material facts, or made unsupported assumptions – these averments on the Respondents’ behalf do not have any substance, and are not borne by the material on record before this Hon’ble Court”, as per response by the TVK.

Thus, TVK seeks that it is essential in the interests of justice for the CBI probe in the present case to be continued to be monitored by the Justice (Retd) Ajay Rastogi Committee.

TVK’s response has been filed through Advocates Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, Rupali Samuel and Yash S Vijay.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government had filed its response (counter-affidavit) in the Supreme Court seeking directions to set aside its decision to order a CBI probe into the Karur stampede case. In its counter-affidavit, the State government had contended that actor and politician Vijay cannot choose the investigating agency or monitoring committee, particularly since both his party and he himself are accused in Karur stampede case.

The Supreme Court had earlier ordered a CBI probe into the stampede that occurred during party chief and actor Vijay’s rally in Karur on September 27, leaving 41 people dead and many others injured.

The Court had also ordered a three-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, to monitor the CBl probe and ensure that the investigation into the tragedy is independent and impartial. The ruling had come on TVK’s plea seeking an impartial probe into the tragic event. (ANI)