SC to hear on July 7 plea alleging active influencing of witnesses in Karur stampede case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on July 7 a plea alleging "active influencing" of witnesses by Tamil Nadu ministers in last year's Karur stampede case.

A partial working day bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu agreed to hear the plea on Tuesday after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi said the court had directed a CBI probe into the stampede in which 41 people lost their lives.

Ahmadi said, "This court directed a CBI probe. Now some accused who are now ministers in the present regime are attempting to actively influence the witnesses. We have filed an application".

The bench said, "We will have it tomorrow".

On October 13, last year, the top court ordered a CBI probe into the stampede, saying the incident had shaken the national conscience and deserved a fair and impartial investigation.

In its order on a plea by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for an independent probe, the top court had also set up a three-member supervisory committee headed by former apex court judge Ajay Rastogi to monitor the CBI investigation.

Suspending the directions for the appointment of SIT and a one-man enquiry commission, the apex court had asked the Tamil Nadu government to extend full cooperation to the officers of the central agency.