Karur stampede: DMK withdraws plea against CM Vijay, TVK after Supreme Court says.....

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Tuesday withdrew its plea seeking impleadment in the case pending before the Supreme Court concerning the Karur stampede during a 2025 Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally, which had led to 41 deaths and injured several others.

In its plea, the DMK had sought directions to restrain TVK ministers from commenting on the probe or extending welfare benefits to the family of victims without proper safeguards, on concerns that such interactions could influence the ongoing investigation.

In particular, the DMK had flagged certain statements by TVK minister Aadhav Arjuna which allegedly projected blame on the DMK.

However, a Bench of Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe today asked whether the Court should get into such politically charged issues.

"How does the Supreme Court get an impleadment of a political rival? There are 41 people who have died. Is this a very thought of application? What is the sequitur? Just pause and think... Today to make this court a political fora… instead of fighting your battles outside," the Court remarked.

The Bench went on to advise,

"This application, you will be best advised not to press it here. This has implications which perhaps have not been thought through even at your end."

The Bench also asked whether DMK wanted to regulate the Chief Minister's visits to Karur.

"There is a narrative being built by accused persons for the purpose to compensate… they are making statements in the press," the counsel for DMK said.

"You want the CM’s visit to be regulated by the Supreme Court?" the Bench questioned.

DMK's counsel said that the plea could be withdrawn, but urged the Court to take note of the statements made by TVK functionaries.

"We will withdraw it. But we can bring it with the notice of the committee. This statement may be recorded," said Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar.

The Court proceeded to allow the impleadment application's withdrawal.

"Mr. Ranjit Kumar seeks to withdraw this application to pursue such other remedy as may be available to the applicant. We dismiss the application as withdrawn as per the above terms," the Court said.

The matter concerned the September 27, 2025, Karur stampede during a TVK political rally. The stampede claimed 41 lives and injured 142 others.

The Supreme Court had earlier transferred the investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It had also directed that the probe be supervised by a three-member committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi.

The DMK, through its organising secretary RS Bharathi, recently filed the now-withdrawn application seeking to be impleaded in the pending proceedings concerning the stampede.

Bharathi had asked the Supreme Court to restrain Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief C Joseph Vijay, TVK ministers Aadhav Arjuna, Bussy Anand, CT Nirmal Kumar, and others connected with the case from making public statements on the merits of the ongoing CBI investigation.

The plea also sought safeguards before the State government distributes benefits, government orders or compassionate appointments to the families of those who died or were injured during the stampede.

The DMK submitted that while it had no objection to such welfare measures, the beneficiary families were also material witnesses in the ongoing case. The DMK raised concerns that they could be influenced and the probe in the stampede be derailed this way.

Moreover, the DMK raised concerns about statements made by sitting TVK Minister Aadhav Arjuna about the Karur tragedy. Reference was made to a speech allegedly made by Arjuna on July 2. According to the English translation annexed to the plea, Arjuna allegedly said Karur was “a very important town” and that there was “a score to settle”.

The plea said that such statements were made to create a perception that the DMK and its leadership were responsible for the incident.

The DMK's application was filed through advocate Anuradha Arputham.

Senior Advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul, Menaka Guruswamy, Shadan Farasat and advocates Pranjal Agarwal, Dixita Gohil and Yash S Vijay represented the TVK.