Actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has moved the Supreme Court against a Madras High Court order constituting a Special Investigation Team to probe the stampede at the party’s rally in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district, which left 41 persons dead, Bar and Bench reported on Wednesday.

The petition was mentioned before Chief Justice BR Gavai for urgent listing, Live Law reported. Gavai listed the matter for Friday, when another related petition against the High Court’s refusal to transfer the probe into the stampede to the Central Bureau of Investigation will be heard.

The stampede had taken place on September 27 at Veluchamy Puram in Karur, shortly after 7.30 pm, when Vijay was addressing supporters from his campaign vehicle.

Several of those attending the rally had fainted due to overcrowding. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief’s speech was interrupted twice as ambulances were brought in to take those who collapsed.

The first information report filed in the matter alleged that while permission had been granted for 10,000 attendees, more than 25,000 persons gathered at the venue. A day before the event, television channels had said that Vijay would arrive at Karur by noon, but he reached the district by 4.45 pm.

Among those who died were 18 women and nine children.

While forming the Special Investigation Team on October 3, the High Court had criticised the party’s “attitude” of “abandoning” the site after the stampede. Justice N Senthilkumar added that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam did not express remorse.

The High Court added that the party cannot shirk its responsibility. “The entire world has witnessed the events,” it said.

The October 3 order came on a petition filed by a man who had sent a representation to the state government authorities requesting guidelines for roadshows and an investigation into the tragedy.

Challenging the order, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam secretary Aadhav Arjuna sought an independent investigation into the stampede monitored by the Supreme Court, Live Law.

The party took objection to the High Court forming a Special Investigation Team comprising only officers from the Tamil Nadu Police.

The petition claimed there was a possibility of a “pre-planned conspiracy” by “miscreants” behind the stampede. It argued that an independent investigation was unlikely if it was carried out by the state police, according to Live Law.

The party further objected to the remarks made by the High Court that both the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and Vijay had “abandoned” the site of the incident and had not expressed any remorse.

On October 3, the Madurai bench of the High Court had rejected a clutch of petitions seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the stampede.

Following this, one of the petitioners – the father of a stampede victim – moved the Supreme Court against the decision, Bar and Bench reported.

The top court had indicated that it may hear the plea on Friday.

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party leader GS Mani has also filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the stampede, Live Law reported. His petition had been dismissed in the High Court.

Five arrested for ‘defamatory’ remarks against judge

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Police has arrested five persons, including a retired police officer, for allegedly making defamatory remarks on social media against Justice Senthilkumar for criticising the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leadership in the High Court, Bar and Bench reported.

The arrested men were identified as 25-year-old Kannan, 25-year-old M David, 48-year-old Sasikumar, 48 and 37-year-old Antony Sagaya Mikael Raj, The Hindu reported. While Kannan, Sasikumar and David were arrested on Sunday, Antony was arrested on Monday.

In addition, 70-year-old R Varadharajan, a retired police officer who runs a political outfit, was also arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments against the judge, DT Next reported.

TVK seeks permission to visit affected families

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has submitted a representation to the state police seeking permission and security arrangements for Vijay to visit Karur to meet the families of the 41 persons who were killed in the stampede, The Hindu reported.

Party leader KG Arunraj said that a representation was sent via email to the director general of police on Tuesday evening for permission and security arrangements for the actor-politician’s visit to Karur next week.

A copy of the representation was also forwarded to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, as Vijay was covered under Y category security, he added. The Y category is the third-highest level of personal security in India.

On Wednesday, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam lawyer S Arivazhagan also submitted the representation at the director general of police’s office, The Hindu reported.

Arunraj added that a coordination meeting was required to discuss the security arrangements to be made for Vijay’s Karur visit in order to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam further added that the actor-politician had spoken to 33 affected families via video conference over the past two days and extended his condolences to them, according to the newspaper.

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