The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has taken over the probe into the Karur stampede, which resulted in 41 fatalities during a political rally held by actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), officials announced on Sunday. A special CBI team has already visited the site at Velusamypuram in Karur, Tamil Nadu. Forty-one people lost their lives and over 60 were injured in the stampede that occurred at the TVK meeting addressed by Vijay on September 27.
As per standard procedure, the CBI has re-registered the original FIR filed by the state police and informed the local court of the development. The case was handed over to the CBI by the Supreme Court following a petition filed by the TVK demanding an independent investigation. The apex court directed the CBI director to appoint a senior officer to take over the investigation and assign other officers to assist.
The court also established a three-member supervisory committee headed by former apex court judge Ajay Rastogi to monitor the CBI investigation.
A bench, comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria, stated that the September 27 stampede has left an impression on the minds of citizens across the country. It noted the wide ramifications for the lives of citizens and stressed that enforcing the fundamental rights of the families who lost their loved ones is of utmost importance.
The court further noted the political undertones of the case, observing that top police officers had made comments before the media "without having regard for the gravity of the incident," which could create doubt in the minds of the public regarding an impartial and fair investigation.
"The faith and trust of the general public in the process of investigation must be restored in the criminal justice system, and one way to instil such trust is by ensuring that the investigation in the present case is completely impartial, independent and unbiased," the bench stated. "Looking to the fact that the issue involved certainly has a bearing on the fundamental rights of the citizens, the incident, which has shaken the national conscience, deserves fair and impartial investigation. There cannot be any doubt that fair investigation is the right of a citizen," the Justices concluded.
Also read: TVK's Vijay to meet kin of Karur stampede victims
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