New Delhi, March 17 V Senthil Balaji, the DMK MLA from Karur, appeared before the CBI on Tuesday for questioning regarding a stampede that occurred during a political rally organized by TVK chief Vijay in the Tamil Nadu town last year, officials said.
The CBI took over the case from an SIT following a Supreme Court order.
The rally organized by TVK chief and actor Vijay in Karur on September 27, 2025, resulted in a massive stampede that claimed 41 lives and left more than 60 people injured.
In October last year, the apex court asked the CBI director to appoint a senior officer to take over the investigation, in addition to constituting a supervisory committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Ajay Rastogi to monitor the probe.
A top court bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and N V Anjaria had said that the stampede left a lasting impression on the minds of citizens throughout the country.
It had far-reaching implications with respect to the lives of citizens, and ensuring the fundamental rights of the families who lost their loved ones is of utmost importance, the court said.
"The faith and trust of the general public in the investigation process must be restored in the criminal justice system, and one way to instill such trust is to ensure that the investigation in this case is completely impartial, independent, and unbiased," the bench said.