Retired Supreme Courtroom choose Ajay Rastogi, who heads the Supreme Courtroom-appointed committee monitoring the CBI probe into the Karur stampede, inspects areas the place TVK had sought permission, accompanied by senior police and district officers, in Karur. File | Picture Credit score: Particular Association
The Supreme Courtroom on Friday (December 12, 2025) mentioned a powerful perception that “every thing must be honest” powered its insistence on appointing non-Tamil Nadu “native” law enforcement officials as a part of a retired apex courtroom judge-headed supervisory committee to watch the CBI probe into the Karur stampede tragedy.
“We would like every thing to be honest,” Justice JK Maheshwari, heading a Bench, addressed the Tamil Nadu authorities facet, represented by senior advocates Siddharth Luthra and P. Wilson.
Forty-one individuals have been killed and several other injured within the Karur stampede on September 27 throughout a rally organized by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) based by actor Vijay.
The State, in a plea settled by Mr. Wilson, had discovered the courtroom’s assertion in opposition to having Tamil Nadu “native” IPS officers on the supervisory committee headed by Justice (retired) Ajay Rastogi “ex facie unconstitutional”.
“The path proceeds on an impermissible presumption that officers of Tamil Nadu origin are inherently much less neutral, which is an affront to the integrity of the All India Companies,” the State has contended.
The State, in a plea filed by Mr. Wilson, additionally argued that the switch of the case to the CBI merely on the bottom that it had “political undertones” undermined State autonomy. The State contended that the order had set a harmful precedent whereas upsetting the constitutional steadiness of powers between the Heart and the States.
“Mere political overtones or allegations can not justify transferring investigation to the CBI. In a federal polity the place totally different political events govern on the Union and the State, allegations of political motive or rivalry are commonplace,” the Tamil Nadu authorities had argued.
The State authorities sought a change within the structure of the supervisory committee, accusing one of many two law enforcement officials of a earlier occasion of bias in favor of a rival political occasion.
It additional questioned the apex courtroom’s choice to droop the Chief Minister-appointed Fee of Inquiry headed by former Madras Excessive Courtroom choose, Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, on the bottom that CBI had taken over the case.
“The Fee doesn’t go into the areas of the investigation. The aim of the Fee was to recommend measures required to be taken in order that such tragedies didn’t occur sooner or later,” Mr. Wilson argued.
Justice Maheshwari mentioned “there’s something improper within the Madras Excessive Courtroom” after perusing a report submitted by the Madras Excessive Courtroom Registrar.
The Supreme Courtroom had sought a report from the Excessive Courtroom after voicing concern concerning the multiplicity of proceedings and orders handed by its Madurai Bench and a Single Decide on its Principal Bench in Chennai.
On October 13, the apex courtroom had recorded concern concerning the method during which the Single Decide suo motu proceeded to order a SIT investigation into the stampede when the Division Bench at Madurai was already listening to petitions in search of a CBI investigation.
The 25-page order of the highest courtroom in October had questioned the Single Decide’s choice to direct a SIT probe when the petition earlier than it had solely sought the framing of tips for the conduct of political rallies in public locations. Apart from, the highest courtroom had identified that Karur city fell inside the jurisdiction of the Madurai Bench.
“One thing is improper within the Excessive Courtroom. Some practices are improper,” Justice Maheshwari remarked.
Printed – December 12, 2025 04:48 pm IST