Will TVK Leader Vijay Face Another Round of CBI Interrogation in Delhi Today?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Vijay is facing renewed scrutiny from the CBI regarding the Karur stampede.
- The investigation aims to address crowd management failures that led to the tragedy.
- 41 lives were lost in the incident, prompting nationwide concern.
- Retired Supreme Court judge Ajay Rastogi is overseeing the inquiry.
- The case highlights the need for enhanced safety measures at public events.
Chennai, Jan 19 (NationPress) Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay has been called to appear once more before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi on Monday as part of the ongoing inquiry into the Karur stampede.
The CBI has ramped up its investigation into the tragic stampede that transpired in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on September 27 of last year, during a political gathering addressed by Vijay.
The catastrophic incident, which resulted in the deaths of 41 individuals due to a significant crowd surge, shocked the nation and raised critical concerns regarding crowd management and administrative readiness.
A supervisory committee, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ajay Rastogi, is overseeing the investigation.
Under this oversight, the CBI has accelerated its examination, concentrating on accountability, planning lapses, and the chain of events that led to this deadly occurrence.
As part of its inquiry, the CBI previously questioned several senior TVK officials, including general secretary Bussy Anand, general secretary of the Election Management Division Aadhav Arjun, joint general secretary Nirmal Kumar, and district secretary Mathiyazhagan.
The agency documented their statements to determine who was responsible for organizing the event, the nature of the preparations, and whether sufficient safety measures were implemented.
Following these interviews, the CBI summoned Vijay to Delhi for questioning related to the case.
In response to the summons, Vijay attended the CBI office at 11 a.m. on January 12.
He underwent questioning for nearly seven hours.
According to insiders, investigators asked a series of thorough questions, including who was tasked with organizing the Karur event, whether all arrangements were communicated to him ahead of time, the reasons for his delayed arrival at the venue, and whether he or his team attempted to manage the crowd as congestion escalated.
The CBI also sought clarification on when Vijay first recognized the overcrowding, whether he had been warned by administrators in advance, and if provisions for drinking water, secure entry and exit points, and general crowd safety had been arranged.
Sources revealed that Vijay addressed all inquiries posed during the first round of questioning. Once the initial phase concluded, the CBI team returned to Chennai.
However, after the Pongal festival, the agency issued a new summons requesting Vijay's presence in Delhi again for further questioning on January 19.
In accordance with the summons, Vijay departed for Delhi via a private flight on Sunday afternoon around 4 p.m.
On Monday, Vijay is anticipated to return to the CBI for a second session, where investigators are expected to continue their in-depth examination as the inquiry into one of Tamil Nadu's most tragic campaign-related incidents reaches a pivotal stage.