New Delhi, Jan 11: Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay will appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi on Monday in connection with the probe into the Karur campaign stampede that claimed 41 lives last year, party sources said on Sunday.
Vijay is scheduled to depose around 11 a.m. following a summons issued by the CBI on January 6 under Section 179 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). He has been cited as a witness in the case.
Party sources said Vijay decided to cooperate fully with the investigation after consultations with senior legal counsel and TVK functionaries. “Legal experts have advised that if any issue arises during questioning, appropriate remedies can be sought before the court,” a source said.
The source added that since TVK had earlier demanded the transfer of the probe from the state police to a central agency or judicial supervision, complying with the summons was in the party’s interest.
The CBI is investigating the stampede that occurred on September 27, 2025, at Velusamipuram in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district during a TVK election campaign event. The incident left 41 people dead and at least 110 others injured.
The Supreme Court had ordered a CBI probe into the tragedy, following which the investigation was handed over to the central agency.
As part of the ongoing inquiry, the CBI has already examined several TVK office-bearers, including N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar and Mathiyazhagan. Statements have also been recorded from the Karur District Collector (IAS) and the Superintendent of Police (IPS). These examinations were conducted between December 29 and 31, during which investigators reportedly recorded nearly 19.5 hours of testimony.
In a related development, teams from the CBI, the Union Home Ministry and the Central Forensic Science Laboratories under the Directorate of Forensic Science Services on Saturday inspected the campaign bus used by Vijay during the Karur event.
The bus, which was brought from Chennai and parked at the PWD guest house in Karur, was examined for its CCTV systems and other onboard facilities. The driver, Bharanidharan (34), was also questioned.
Officials verified the quality and placement of the cameras installed on the vehicle, and the entire inspection process was video recorded. Sources said the checks were prompted by reports suggesting that high-resolution cameras had been fitted on the campaign bus used during the rally.