TVK chief Vijay seeks 15-day extension to appear before CBI again in Karur stampede case

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay has sought a 15-day extension for his appearance before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for another round of questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case. He was summoned on Tuesday (March 10, 2026), according to agency sources.

Mr. Vijay had earlier appeared before the agency on January 12 and 19. He was again asked to join the probe on March 10, but the TVK chief has asked for a 15-day extension. The matter is under the consideration of the CBI officials concerned, a source said.

The agency re-registered the case on October 13, 2025, following an order of the Supreme Court. Stating that the incident had “shaken the national conscience”, the Court directed the CBI to investigate the stampede that claimed 41 lives during a rally organised by the TVK.

The Supreme Court observed that entrusting the probe to the same police force whose senior officials had publicly exonerated their subordinates would compromise the credibility of the investigation. “This fact in itself creates a doubt in the minds of the general public about the independence and impartiality of the investigation…Caught in the doldrums are the families of the deceased, injured victims, and kith and kin of those who lost their lives in this tragedy. For them, the political tussle between the two sides is of little solace,” it said.

The Court also constituted a three-member monitoring committee, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, to supervise the progress of the CBI investigation.