Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay faced a second round of questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday, January 19, 2026, in connection with the Karur stampede case. The actor was questioned for nearly six hours at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi.
Vijay arrived at the CBI headquarters, located on Lodhi Road, in a convoy of luxury SUVs. He was questioned by a team of officials led by a Deputy Superintendent rank officer from the agency's Anti-Corruption unit.
This marks the second time Vijay has been questioned in the case, with the first round of questioning taking place on January 12, 2026, also lasting approximately six hours. Following the initial questioning, the CBI had requested Vijay to reappear the following day, but the actor requested an alternative date due to the Pongal harvest festival. The agency agreed to his request.
The CBI's investigation revolves around the stampede that occurred on September 27, 2025, in Karur, Tamil Nadu, which tragically resulted in the deaths of 41 people and left over 60 injured. The federal agency took over the case from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) following a Supreme Court order. Since then, the CBI has been gathering evidence related to the stampede.
In October 2025, the Supreme Court directed the CBI director to appoint a senior officer to lead the investigation. Furthermore, a three-member supervisory committee, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ajay Rastogi, was established to monitor the CBI's probe. The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of an impartial, independent, and unbiased investigation to restore public trust in the criminal justice system.
During the previous round of questioning, Vijay was asked several questions related to the rally where the stampede occurred. Sources indicate that the questions pertained to decision-making processes concerning the rally, the reasons for his delayed arrival, the continuation of his speech despite the ongoing chaos, his awareness of the situation, the crowd turnout, and overall mismanagement. The CBI has also questioned several TVK office bearers, Vijay's driver, and some police officers in connection with the case. The agency is thoroughly analyzing statements from Vijay, senior political figures from his party, police officials, and district administration officials involved in granting clearance for and managing the rally to determine individual roles and responsibilities.
The court has stated that the incident has had a profound impact on the public and that upholding the fundamental rights of the families who lost loved ones is of utmost importance. The CBI's ongoing investigation aims to determine the factors that contributed to the tragedy and to ensure accountability.
