Actor and TVK chief Vijay came out of his black SUV and waved to the waiting media at the end of his questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Karur stampede case on Monday.
Maybe this was
Vijay’s way to assure his supporters that “all is well”, especially ahead of the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
But indications from the CBI are on the contrary. A top official aware of the probe told
News18 that the central agency was not giving a clean chit to anyone yet.“No ‘hand of god’ was responsible (for the deaths of 41 people). So many people died…somebody messed up… Only two possibilities…organisers or administrators,” the source told News18.
This, even as TVK joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar told the media that Vijay will not be named in the chargesheet.
“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. We are cooperating with the investigating agencies. Please refrain from spreading any misinformation,” Kumar told reporters. “There are lots of rumours being spread, which are not true. We all know what happened in Karur. MPs from Delhi had gone to Karur; even the Tamil Nadu BJP president has said what exactly happened in Karur.”
Officials in the CBI, however, pointed out that it is too early to comment on who will be named in the chargesheet and in what capacity.
“At this stage, the investigating officer is collating evidence. Statements of various stakeholders will be analysed before any decision on the chargesheet,” an official said.
‘TOUGH QUESTIONS’
According to sources, the CBI asked pointed questions to Vijay on the second day of his interrogation.
Statements of then ADG and IG of Karur were recorded last week at the same time that Vijay was being questioned. Some charges made by the Tamil Nadu police were put to him, as per sources.
The CBI investigating officer reportedly asked him why he was seven hours’ late for the Karur rally. The local police have alleged that the delay led to a restive situation and many in the crowd were dehydrated.
The sources said Vijay claimed that there was traffic congestion on his way to Karur and even then he was not inordinately delayed. Asked why he continued with his speech even after noticing the crowd situation, he claimed that he only followed instructions from the police, which escorted him out of Karur keeping in mind his safety, they said.
The police have alleged that TVK organisers ignored instructions on a communication device about the swelling crowd and mismanagement. Officials have handed over video evidence to back their charge against Vijay, the sources said. But he rejected all charges and reiterated that the local police are to be blamed, they added.
The CBI has indicated that a chargesheet could soon be filed in Tamil Nadu on charges of death by negligence, endangering lives and willfully disobeying public servants among others.
