The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain an interim application filed by the DMK seeking restrictions on public comments by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay and certain ministers in connection with the Karur crowd-crush case. After the court’s observations, the DMK withdrew the plea.
The case relates to a fatal crowd crush at Velusamipuram in Karur district on September 27, 2025, during a campaign meeting organised by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in which 41 people died. A CBI probe is under way under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge, and the agency has questioned CM Vijay and ministers including Anand and Aadhav Arjuna on multiple occasions, according to the report.
DMK organising secretary R.S. Bharathi had moved the court alleging that minister Aadhav Arjuna was making “defamatory” statements in public that could intimidate witnesses and hinder a neutral investigation. The party sought an order restraining CM Vijay and ministers Aadhav Arjuna, Anand and Nirmal Kumar from speaking about the matter in public.
When the matter came up before a bench of Justices Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe, the court questioned whether the petition was effectively seeking a curb on free speech and asked why the court should regulate the chief minister’s messaging while a CBI investigation was ongoing. The bench also noted that the chief minister’s name was not in the FIR and cautioned against turning the court into a political platform.
With the bench indicating it was inclined to dismiss the application, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the DMK, agreed to withdraw it. The report also noted that CM Vijay is scheduled to visit Karur on July 10, when he is expected to announce relief and employment assistance for affected families.
