Chennai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Tuesday, summoned actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief Vijay to appear before its officials in New Delhi on March 15 in connection with the Karur stampede case that claimed 41 lives during a party event held last year.
Confirming the development, TVK Joint General Secretary C.T.R. Nirmalkumar said the party had received fresh summons from the CBI earlier in the day asking Vijay to present himself for questioning in the national capital.
The summons is part of the ongoing probe into the tragic stampede that occurred on September 27, 2025, during a massive rally addressed by Vijay in Tamil Nadu’s Karur.
The incident led to the deaths of 41 people and left more than 60 others injured, triggering widespread criticism and calls for accountability over crowd management at the political event.
According to party sources, Vijay had earlier been asked to appear before the CBI on March 10.
However, the TVK leadership sought a 15-day extension, citing prior commitments.
The party had also requested the central agency to record his statement in Chennai instead of requiring him to travel to New Delhi.
This is the third time the CBI has asked the actor-politician to appear before it in connection with the Karur stampede case.
Vijay had earlier appeared before investigators on January 12 and January 19 this year, during which the officials questioned him about the arrangements and planning related to the public rally where the fatal stampede occurred.
Meanwhile, the central agency has also summoned V. Senthilbalaji, a DMK legislator from Karur and former Tamil Nadu Minister, to appear before it for questioning on March 17.
In a message posted on social media platform X, former Minister Senthilbalaji said he would cooperate with the investigation and appear before the CBI on the scheduled date.
He added that he would provide clarifications regarding the circumstances surrounding the Karur stampede tragedy.
The CBI is currently conducting a detailed investigation into the incident after the case was transferred from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) following an order by the Supreme Court.
Investigators are examining the sequence of events leading to the stampede, including crowd control measures, event permissions, and the role of organisers and local authorities.
Officials said the central probe agency is continuing to collect evidence and statements from key witnesses as part of efforts to determine responsibility for one of the deadliest crowd disasters in recent political gatherings in Tamil Nadu.
(IANS)
