CHENNAI: Actor and TVK president Vijay will head to Delhi on a chartered flight to appear before the CBI officers, who are investigating the stampede at his rally in Karur that claimed 41 lives last year.
Vijay has been summoned as a witness and is scheduled to depose at around 11 am at the agency's Delhi office. The questioning is likely to continue on January 13 and 14, after which he is scheduled to return to Chennai on January 14 evening.
Party sources said Vijay decided to comply with the summons after consultations with senior advocates and TVK functionaries. "As the party had earlier sought transfer of the probe from the State police to a central agency or judicial supervision, it would not be appropriate to avoid the summons," a source said, adding that legal remedies would be pursued if required during questioning.
Meanwhile, the TVK on Sunday sought security cover from the Delhi Police for Vijay's travel and appearance before the CBI. Joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar sent an email requesting protection, citing public interest in the case and the leader's profile. Sources said the CBI, too, has informed the Delhi Police to ensure security and logistical coordination during Vijay's stay in the capital.
Away from the political field, Vijay’s latest film ‘Jana Nayagan’, which is widely speculated to be his last film before making politics his full-time vocation, is still stuck in limbo after the Central Board of Film Certification refused to grant the mandatory censor certificate. The big-budget film, said to have cost Rs 500 crore to produce, was expected to help bolster his image as the leader of the masses while also aiding in building up the war chest ahead of the coming Assembly election.
While the matter is before the Madras High Court, where a single judge directed the board to grant clearance, which was stayed within hours by a division bench and is scheduled to be taken up again for hearing on January 11, it is not clear if the producer can reach an agreement with the board to enable the film’s release during the Pongal holidays.
The CBI is probing the stampede that occurred on September 27, 2025, at Velusamipuram in Karur during a TVK rally, in which 41 people were killed and at least 110 were injured. The Supreme Court ordered the CBI inquiry.
Earlier, the agency questioned TVK office-bearers N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, CTR Nirmal Kumar, and Mathiyazhagan, as well as the Karur district Collector and the Superintendent of Police, over December 29, 30, and 31, recording about 19.5 hours of statements.
On Saturday, CBI teams, along with officials from the Union Home Ministry and the Central Forensic Science Laboratories, inspected Vijay's campaign bus at the PWD guest house in Karur, examining its CCTV systems. The driver, Bharanidharan, was also questioned, and the inspection was video recorded.