Supreme Court Monitored CBI Probe Gains Momentum in Karur Stampede Case; Justice Rastogi Panel to Visit Site

New Delhi: The CBI probe ordered by the Supreme Court to investigate the deaths of 41 persons at Karur in Tamil Nadu during TVK Chief and Actor Vijay’s rally has gathered momentum and is in full swing. The Supreme Court, on October 13th, had ordered the CBI probe, and a panel headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Ajay Rastogi will monitor the investigation. Tamil Nadu gets 10 days to frame SOP for political rallies; Will new rules prevent another Karur tragedy? Justice Ajay Rastogi Panel to Monitor Investigation The Justice Rastogi panel had asked the CBI officers to submit a status report on the investigation. Sources told Dynamite News that the CBI has submitted its initial report to the panel. The CBI also submitted details regarding the line of investigation and the roadmap of the probe to the panel. Panel to Visit Karur Stampede Site Sources also told Dynamite News that Justice Rastogi’s panel will be visiting the stampede site at Karur soon. Before that, CBI officers would be meeting the panel. [caption id="attachment_161602" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The stampede occurred on September 27[/caption] Tamil Nadu Government Appoints Nodal Officer The Top Court had also directed the Tamil Nadu government to appoint a senior nodal officer to coordinate between the three-member supervisory committee, the CBI, and the state administration regarding the Karur stampede probe. Despite a fortnight having passed, no officer was appointed by the DMK government. So, the SC panel wrote to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to appoint the officer. Karur Stampede: TVK moves Supreme Court- SIT probe in question; Full story here According to sources, when the panel wrote a reminder to the state, the panel was informed that the state Additional Home Secretary would be the nodal officer. Justice Ajay Rastogi’s panel is likely to meet the victims, and TVK Chief Actor Vijay is likely to meet the SC panel.