TVK chief and actor Vijay leaves from CBI headquarters after the second round of questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay on Monday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the second time in connection with the stampede at a rally in Karur on September 27 that killed 41 people and stuck to his stand that the state government’s “negligence” was responsible for the incident.
Vijay was grilled for about six hours on Monday at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi by a team of officials led by a deputy superintendent rank officer, drawn from the agency’s anti-corruption unit, which is investigating the Karur incident. This was the second round of questioning by the CBI after the actor was grilled for about seven hours on January 12.
“Our leader (Vijay) was issued witness summons and he appeared before the CBI today. The questioning is over and they have not asked him to appear again,” C T R Nirmal Kumar, TVK joint general secretary, told reporters in New Delhi. He also dismissed news reports that Vijay might be arrested and that his name will figure in the chargesheet.
While leaving the CBI office, Vijay came out of his vehicle and waved at fans who gathered at the venue. However, he did not respond to reporters’ request for a reaction to the questioning.
Sources told DH that the CBI questioned Vijay on the answers he gave during the first round of questioning and sought more clarity on why he arrived at the venue seven hours late and why he continued with his campaign despite noticing people fainting. They said the CBI sleuths wanted to know what time Vijay completed his speech and how he left the venue.
Vijay is learnt to have responded that he left the venue only with assistance from the local police, who ensured his safe return to Tiruchirapalli from Karur. “He insisted that neither he nor his party were responsible for the incident. He laid all the blame on the district administration,” the source said.
The questioning came at a time the BJP is facing questions whether it was trying to stop the release of Vijay’s cinema swansong, Jana Nayagan, through the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). BJP leaders have been inviting Vijay to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu to ensure that the anti-government votes don’t get split, eventually helping the DMK.
Though permission was sought for the meeting to be held between 3 pm-10 pm his party, Vijay’s TVK had publicised that he will come at 12.30 pm but the actor reached Karur only at 6 pm, when crowds swelled. Eye witnesses told DH in Karur on September 28 that people pushed the other to move forward to go near the bus in which Vijay was travelling so that they could take a glimpse of the actor.