The Supreme Court dismissed as withdrawn a plea by DMK’s RS Bharathi alleging TVK was influencing witnesses in the Karur stampede case. The court questioned how it could regulate a CM’s statements or entertain a plea from a political rival.
SC Refuses to Entertain DMK Plea
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea filed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Organising Secretary RS Bharathi alleging attempts by accused persons belonging to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to influence witnesses in the Karur rally stampede case.
A bench of Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe allowed Bharathi to withdraw the application and granted him liberty to pursue other remedies available in law.
“Heard Mr Ranjit Kumar for the applicant. He seeks to withdraw this application to pursue such other remedies as may be available. We dismiss the application as withdrawn on the above terms,” the Court said.
Court Questions Plea from Political Rival
During the hearing, the Court questioned how it could entertain an application filed by a political rival seeking restrictions on public statements and other actions after it had already transferred the investigation into the stampede to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Bharathi, argued that a narrative was being built by the accused persons after the investigation was transferred to the CBI. He said the applicant was not opposed to compensation being paid to the victims but objected to accused persons directly engaging in such acts.
“When the matter was transferred to the CBI… I am relying on the fact that there is a narrative being built by the accused persons. First of all, they are trying to compensate. We are not against that, but accused persons directly should not do it. They are making statements in the press,” Kumar submitted.
SC Refuses to Regulate CM’s Engagements
The Court, however, questioned whether the applicant wanted the Supreme Court to regulate the Chief Minister’s public engagements and statements.
“You want the Chief Minister’s message to be set by the Supreme Court? You want us to fix the itinerary?” the Court asked.
The Court further questioned how a political rival could seek impleadment in a matter in which the Court had already ordered a CBI investigation and then ask for a series of directions regulating public statements and executive actions.
“How does the Supreme Court, in a matter where we have ordered a CBI probe, get an impleadment application from a political rival and make such orders one after the other?” the Court asked.
The Court also referred to the announcement of ₹10 lakh ex-gratia compensation for the injured and questioned how comments by the Chief Minister Vijay about the victims could, by themselves, amount to influencing witnesses. “₹10 lakh ex gratia compensation has been announced for 42 injured persons. Today, if the executive head, the Chief Minister, makes some comments about the victims, how will the victims be influenced?” the Court asked. Notably, the Court also pointed out that the Chief Minister was not an accused in the case.
“Today, to make this Court a political forum… is not something [we can permit],” the Court observed.
Following the Court’s observations, Kumar sought permission to withdraw the application and pursue other remedies.
Details of the Withdrawn Application
Bharathi had moved the application alleging that some of the accused persons in the stampede case, who are now ministers in the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government, were attempting to influence witnesses while the CBI investigation was underway.
The application had sought Bharathi’s impleadment as a party in the proceedings and directions restraining K. Joseph Vijay, Aadhav Arjuna, Bussy Anand, C.T. Nirmal Kumar and others from making public statements concerning the incident. It had also sought a direction that no ex gratia payments, compassionate appointments or government orders capable of affecting witnesses be announced or issued during the pendency of the CBI investigation.
The application further sought directions to the CBI to take action over statements allegedly made by Aadhav Arjuna on July 2, 2026.
The Supreme Court had on Monday agreed to hear the application after it was mentioned before the bench. Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar appeared for the applicant DMK Secretary RS Bharathi. Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, Menaka Guruswamy along with Advocates Avishkar Singhvi, Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, Yash S Vijay and T Mahendhran represented the TVK. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)