'Deserves Fair Investigation': SC Orders CBI Probe Into Karur Stampede, Fmr Judge To Head Monitoring Committee
Forty-one people were killed in the stampede during a public event of TVK chief and actor Vijay on September 27.
By Sumit Saxena
Published : October 13, 2025 at 11:11 AM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a CBI probe to probe the Karur stampede and appointed former SC Judge, Ajay Rastogi, as head of the committee which will monitor the investigation.
A bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and N V Anjaria passed the order on a plea challenging the Madras High Court's order setting up an SIT to probe the stampede, in which 41 people were killed and scores injured during a rally of actor-turned-politician Vijay in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on September 27.
The petition was filed by Vijay's political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and others. Other petitions were filed by Paneerselvam Pitchaimuthu, S Prabhakaran, Selvaraj P and G S Mani, which also sought a CBI probe into the matter.
Pronouncing the order, Justice Maheshwari said the issue has a bearing on the fundamental right of citizens and the incident, which has "shaken the nation", and it deserves a "fair and impartial investigation". The bench said, as an interim measure, the investigation should be handed over to the CBI for a fair administration of justice.
“There cannot be any doubt that a fair investigation is the right of the citizen; therefore following certain directions have been issued. In order to allay the concern of all parties in the pursuit of independence….we proposed to set a three-member supervisory committee headed by a former judge of this court. We have requested Justice Ajay Rastogi, who has agreed to head the said committee. We further requested to choose two senior IPS officers, not below the rank of inspector general of police, who may be of Tamil Nadu cadre but shall not be a native of Tamil Nadu…”, said Justice Maheshwai.
The bench said the committee shall monitor the investigation transferred to the CBI, and it will be at liberty to show the proper direction in which the investigation is required to be carried out. The detailed order will be uploaded later in the day.
Last week, while reserving the order, the apex court had flagged the high court's two seemingly conflicting orders in connection with the matter: one declining a plea for CBI probe, which was passed by the Madurai bench, and the other directing a probe by a special investigation team (SIT), passed by the principal bench.
The bench was surprised at observations and directions against petitioner TVK, which were made on a writ petition seeking the formulation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) on road shows and political rallies.
“We are unable to understand how this order was passed,” the bench had said. The apex court had queried why a plea before the high court for an SOP was entertained by the principal bench, when another petition on stampede was already rejected by the high court's Madurai bench.
A counsel, representing a party, claimed that the state police had denied permission to an Opposition party for the road rally in Karur, saying that it was a narrow space and permission could not be given, and asked how the TVK party was then granted permission for the road rally.
The counsel further contended that the government conducted a post-mortem of the dead bodies at midnight, and they were cremated early in the morning. The bench put these queries to senior advocate P Wilson, representing the Tamil Nadu government. Wilson said, “this is the first time we are facing these allegations and I will file a detailed counter affidavit. He has made a scathing allegation and I do not want to say who is behind it. Doctors from the nearby districts were called and that is how…”
The party moved the apex court against an order passed by the Madras High Court directing a SIT headed by senior IPS officer Asra Garg, to probe the incident.
The plea contended that despite making an observation, which questioned the independence of the police probe into the matter, the high court directed the constitution of an SIT composed solely of three senior officers from the Tamil Nadu Police.
It also contended that the party and its leaders were prejudiced by the order which appoints an SIT composed solely of officers of the state police, despite the high court expressing its discontent with the independence of state police and its conduct.
The apex court, taking into account the pleadings and allegations, said primarily it appears that due to not taking due steps and inaction of the police personnel the Karur stampede took place, while on the other hand, the state machinery has not accepted those allegations. The bench said it cannot be denied that the permission was granted by the police for holding a political rally by the TVK on a connecting route to a National Highway, while in January 2025 permission sought by a different political party was refused.
The bench said caught in the doldrums are the families of the deceased, injured victims and kith and kin of those who lost their lives in this tragedy, and for them, the political tussle between the two sides is of little solace. "All they are asking is for an unbiased, independent and impartial investigation in their pursuit of justice", it said.
The bench said the incident of the Karur stampede has definitely left an imprint in the minds of the citizens throughout the country, it has wide ramifications in respect of the life of the citizens and in this context enforcing the fundamental rights of the families who lost their kith and kin is of utmost importance.
The bench said looking at the political undertone of the case and the fact that without having regard to the gravity of the incident, the comments which have been made before the media by the top officers of the police department may create doubt in the minds of the citizenry on impartiality and fair investigation.
"The faith and trust of the general public on the process of investigation must be restored in the criminal justice system, and one way to instil such trust is by ensuring that the investigation in the present case is completely impartial, independent and unbiased," said the bench.
"We further request him (the former apex court judge) to choose two senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers not below the rank of Inspector General of Police, who may be of Tamil Nadu cadre but shall not be a native of Tamil Nadu, as per the choice of the Hon’ble former Judge", it said.
The bench said the committee, led by the former apex court judge, shall have the liberty to review the evidence collected by the CBI from time to time and supervise the investigation to ensure that it reaches its logical conclusion.
"The committee may undertake an inquiry into any matter ancillary/incidental to the Karur stampede which might be necessary to ensure fair, transparent and independent investigation into the matter as it deems fit. The committee shall devise its own procedure as per the directions of the former judge", it said.
The bench said considering the ramifications of the incident and its gravity, we request the chairman of the committee to immediately organise its first meeting after taking over the charge of the investigation by the CBI. The bench said the officers of the CBI are directed to submit a monthly progress report of the investigation to the committee, which may be placed for consideration before this court as and when required.
The bench said the petition which is pending before the high court on the issue of formation of SOP/guidelines for political rallies shall be assigned by the chief justice to the division bench for further hearing.
The bench said it is clear that the division bench at Madurai denied the CBI investigation, holding that the investigation by the local police is not flawed, while the single judge at the main seat, dissatisfied with the police investigation, directed for the constitution of the SIT.
"Such recourse prima facie indicates the lack of sensitivity and propriety to deal with such a matter creating multiplicity of proceedings, for the reasons best known to the judges", said the apex court.
The bench noted that it is required to be explained by the high court that a writ petition praying for formation of SOP guidelines for the rallies of political parties and roadshows, how far it would fall within the jurisdiction of writ petition (criminal).
"It shall also be explained that in writ petition…which was filed for different relief but as per the orders of the High Court it was kept pending for formation of the SOP/guidelines, why the said matter was not treated as Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and whether it will be listed before the learned Single Judge or the Division Bench. An explanation in that regard be furnished by the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court bringing this order in the knowledge of Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the High Court", said the apex court.
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