Vijay fled, shows no remorse, says HC, sets up stampede SIT

Vijay fled, shows no remorse, says HC, sets up stampede SIT 

politi

Bus Involved & CCTV Footages From Incident Spot To Be Seized

 Sureshkumar.K@timesofindia.com  04.10.2025

Chennai : Criticising actorpolitician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) members for first causing a stampede that killed 41 people in Karur on Sept 27, and then abandoning their cadres and followers, Madras HC ordered aprobe by an SIT Friday. Citing two accidents involving Vijay’s campaign vehicle, which did not stop even after dashing against the bikes of his accompanying cadres, HC also ordered registration of a hit-and-run case against the politician. “Both the driver and the leader (Vijay) saw the accident but left the place without stopping... This court highly condemns the attitude of the party (TVK)... There was not even a remote sense of feeling expressed by the party taking responsibility for organising such an event. This only shows the mental state of the leader and the party,” Justice N Senthilkumar said.

 “The SIT will be headed by Asra Garg, IGP (north zone), and comprise Vimala, SP, Namakkal, and Shyamaladevi, SP. In addition, Garg is at liberty to select additional team members under any category/designation as he deems fit,” said the judge. 

All available CCTV footage from the place of the incident, and in particular CCTV footage inside and outside the bus carrying the head of the political party, shall be seized. The bus involved shall also be seized, the court said. “In both cases (campaign vehicle hitting two bikes), police have not registered an FIR for hitand-run. Court expresses its deep anguish and agony that even if no complaint is filed by the aggrieved, state has suo motu responsibility to register a case, bring the perpetrators of the crime on record, and make them face trial,” Justice Senthilkumar said. 

“Neither the politician nor his followers were there at the scene of occurrence after the incident. The President, the PM, Union home minister, CM of Tamil Nadu, and leader of opposition condoled the incident, and almost all political parties were there to rescue people. This court could not understand how the political party that organised the rally abandoned the scene of occurrence immediately after the incident,” the judge said. “The fateful occurrence resulted in the loss of 41 lives. 

Unfortunately, the organisers, right from the leader... vanished, leaving their own cadres, leaving their own followers, leaving their own fans in the lurch,” the judge said.

 “Such an irresponsible attitude of any politician or organisation cannot be taken lightly. The court owes its responsibility towards its citizens. It is unfortunate to record such leadership quality,” the judge said. The court was passing the order on a plea moved by P H Dinesh, of Chennai, seeking to restrain TN home secretary and DGP from granting permission for road shows to Vijay’s TVK or other political parties until guidelines are framed for such events.

Iruvar: The rise of EPS and fall of OPS

Iruvar: The rise of EPS and fall of OPS

STORYBOARD

ARUN RAM. 04.08.2025

The journeys of Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami and Ottakarathevar Panneerselvam are similar in many ways. Both were born in the early 1950s (EPS is 71, OPS 74) into agricultural families; both are graduates; both entered politics with AIADMK in the early 1970s (EPS in 1974 and OPS in 1973); and both have been chief ministers (EPS once, from Feb 2017 to May 2021; OPS thrice, from Sep 2001 to March 2002, Sep 2014 to May 2015, and Dec 2016 to Feb 2017). 

And now, EPS is at the helm of the main opposition party; OPS is languishing in the middle of nowhere. So, what led them to these diverse destinies? Luck plays an important part in politics, but then, fortune favours the brave who are also clever. EPS was first elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly from Edappadi in 1989 (he won five assembly polls and lost thrice) and became an MP for the first time in 1998. He became the party’s propaganda secretary – a post once held by J Jayalalithaa – in 2007. 

OPS made his assembly debut in 2001 (12 years after EPS did), went on to win four more consecutive assembly polls. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he lost in Ramanathapuram as an NDA independent candidate. While the track records of the two men in AIADMK have been similar (but for that OPS sided with Janaki Ramachandran after MGR’s death in 1987, while EPS supported the Jayalalithaa faction), when it came to grabbing opportunities and working on them, EPS proved himself to be much smarter than OPS. The first two times OPS became chief minister was as a night watchman, till Jayalalithaa could free herself from the legal tangles and return. As a puppet CM, he could do precious little to assert himself as Amma held the strings.

But the third time was different. It did not come as a surprise when OPS, who was holding the portfolios of Jayalalithaa during her stay in the hospital, was sworn in chief minister on Dec 6, 2016, the day after Jayalalithaa’s death. Poes Garden insiders know the ‘strong arm’ tactics of V K Sasikala, but this was OPS’s best opportunity to put his foot down. He didn’t. On a dark night, hardly two months later, he sat at the Jayalalithaa samadhi in meditation. Having resigned as CM, he called it a ‘dharmayudham’, the silent battle of a righteous man, wronged. OPS had just made his gravest mistake in politics. He got some unexpected support when Sasikala appeared set to take the throne at Fort St George. Had he leveraged this groundswell without resigning, AIADMK’s political history would have been different. 

A few days later, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Sasikala in the disproportionate wealth case, and sentenced her to four years in prison, thereby disqualifying her to hold a constitutional post. OPS’s revolt came as a stroke of luck for EPS, who saw the CM post tossed towards him. And how he grabbed it with both hands! He also captained the AIADMK ship through the choppy waters of factionalism under the thunder cloud of corruption. His brief to the ministers was clear: If you remove me from the helm, we all sink together; make the most of it till it lasts. The fear of loss worked. 

After losing power in 2021, EPS’s challenges grew within the party, but he systematically disarmed OPS, first by removing him as the coordinator and then from the party. Also to the credit of EPS, a gounder, is keeping such influential thevars like Natham Viswanathan and S P Velumani from switching to the side of OPS, a thevar. Having quit NDA and looking for friends among foes, OPS is at the ebb of his political career. 

DMK may have some utility of OPS as a few thousands of thevar votes in the southern districts can be decisive in close fights, and Stalin could leave much of EPS-baiting to him while focusing on his govt’s achievements. Vijay’s TVK is yet to respond to OPS’s feeler. His re-entering NDA cannot be ruled out, but now the dharmayodha’s quiver is empty.

‘Vijay can win if TVK goes it alone’

‘Vijay can win if TVK goes it alone’

Mar 2, 2025, 0:11 IST

Chennai: Actor Vijay stands a good chance to win Tamil Nadu if TVK goes it alone in the 2026 assembly election, according to poll strategist Prashant Kishor.

"Let him (Vijay) start and we'll see next six, eight months and then we'll make a public announcement whether we are going all alone or we would have somebody as an ally. I am not seeing any alliance right now. At least not till Dec. As things stand we are going it alone," Kishor said in an interview to a Tamil channel.

Edappadi K Palaniswami's AIADMK, however, approached him for "an association" said Kishor. He said the AIADMK wants to unite the anti-DMK vote and is engaged in traditional politics of bringing everyone together to defeat the rival arithmetically. But Kishor said neither Vijay nor he is looking at it. Kishor, who quit being a poll strategist and floated the Jan Suraaj Party four years ago, was present at the TVK event to mark the beginning of its second year.

"My understanding and data suggest that if Vijay goes it alone, he stands a very good chance to win TN provided he puts an effort and a number of hours and we are together able to build a political infrastructure around him. He genuinely wants to bring about a change in TN," Kishor said.

Rejecting the narrative that Vijay would have to forge an alliance with the AIADMK to have any impact and to get a sizeable number of seats given the DMK's formidable alliance, Kishor said poll arithmetic was not guaranteed. "I am looking at Vijay and TN politics as it stands today. I see there is a huge gap. A vast section of society is looking for a new, cleaner, and fresher alternative. Vijay fits the bill," he said. On why the actor was not harsh on his ideological enemy, the BJP, unlike against the DMK, Kishor said BJP was neither a force in TN nor governing it.

Kishor, who was the poll strategist for DMK in the 2021 assembly election, said DMK alliance was facing huge anti-incumbency. What if Stalin is projected as the face of DMK? "Even if it is, no one can deny a huge anti-incumbency. There's substantial erosion in the DMK alliance vote share, and a large chunk of that vote came based on being a "secular, anti-BJP, anti-Delhi party", he said. He charged DMK with creating "a fear psychosis against BJP and Delhi" whether it is sanatana dharma, delimitation or language policy.

Kishor acknowledged that he was not an advisor to Vijay but a ‘friend and brother'. Vijay would be free after his last film assignment and would become a full-time politician.

"I am committed to help, and I am sure he is committed to help me in Bihar as well," Kishor said, adding that the actor had a huge following in Bihar and could help Jan Suraaj by making an appearance and campaigning for the party. The assembly election in Bihar is scheduled to be held later this year.

Senthil Balaji case: NGO moves Madras High Court

Senthil Balaji case: NGO moves Madras High Court

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan issued the direction while hearing the petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Movement, an NGO.

Tamil Nadu Electricity minister V Senthil Balaji.(File photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

Express News Service

Updated on:

28 Feb 2025, 9:09 am

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Greater Chennai Police (GCP) to file a counter-affidavit on the petitions filed against merger of the charge sheets in the job racket cases registered against Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity V Senthil Balaji.

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan issued the direction while hearing the petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Movement, an NGO.

The petitioner had challenged the order of the special court for MP/MLA cases to merge the four additional charge sheets filed by the CCB after conducting further investigation into the racket involving recruitment to the posts of junior engineer, driver, conductor and junior tradesman to the transport corporation during Senthil Balaji’s tenure as Transport Minister between 2011-15 in the Jayalalithaa Cabinet.Advocate N Subramanian, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that separate charge sheets were filed initially with respect to the posts and later further investigation was conducted and additional charge sheets were filed. All the charge sheets were merged and such action would lead to a long delay of trial.

He told the court that the number of accused rose to 2,256 from 47 and the witnesses increased to 668 from 112 following the merger of the FIRs. It will take a whopping 1,500 years for completing cross-examination of the witnesses by the accused persons, he said. The counsel sought the court to stay the merger of the charge sheets.

However, the judge refused to grant stay, instead, he directed the police to file a counter-affidavit by March 13 and posted the matter to the same date.

Government advocate K M D Muhilan informed the court that further investigation was conducted by the police following a direction of the Supreme Court and the trial court decided to merge all the additional charge sheets in the case. Sections of Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) were incorporated in the additional charge sheets against the accused persons, he said.

Ready to return to AIADMK: OPS

Ready to return to AIADMK: OPS

TNN | Feb 14, 2025, 04.00 AM IST

Madurai: Former chief minister and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam has said that he, along with TTV Dhinakaran and V K Sasikala, is ready to return to AIADMK without any conditions. He said AIADMK can survive the 2026 assembly elections only when the party is united. He was addressing reporters at his farmhouse near Periakulam in Theni district on Thursday.

OPS said that according to AIADMK bylaws, the party’s general secretary can be selected only through elections, and this bylaw cannot be deleted or altered. However, Edappadi K Palaniswami altered it, forcing them to approach the court. The election commission has the same rights as the court, said OPS.

AIADMK can survive the assembly elections only when it is united, and it is better that it joins NDA, he said. OPS recalled that Jayalalithaa executed the Athikadavu–Avinasi irrigation project from state funds since the Union govt was delaying the funds. He criticised EPS for taking credit for the project.

Sengottaiyan and he worked together and conducted many party meetings. Sengottaiyan has to answer the questions levelled against him, said OPS.

Earlier, AMMK leader Dhinakaran, who attended the party meeting in Chinnamanur in Theni, termed the court ruling on ECI’s inquiry into AIADMK leadership issue their first victory.

Aadhav Arjuna and Nirmal Kumar get key posts in TVK

 Aadhav Arjuna and Nirmal Kumar get key posts in TVK

The Hindu Bureau

 

CHENNAI 01.02.2025

Former VCK deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna and AIADMK IT Wing joint secretary C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the presence of party president Vijay at its headquarters at Panaiyur near Chennai on Friday.

In a statement, Mr. Vijay said, “Mr. Arjuna, who has been appointed as the party’s election campaign management general secretary, will function along with my political strategist John Arockiyasamy in organising election campaigns.” He appointed Mr. Kumar as the deputy general secretary (IT and social media unit), P. Jegadeesh as the joint treasurer (headquarters), A. Rajmohan as the propaganda secretary, and S. Veeravigneshwaran as spokesperson.

Last December, Mr. Vijay launched a book, Ellorukkumaana Thalaivar Ambedkar (Ambedkar: A leader for all), authored by Mr. Arjuna. At the book launch, Mr. Arjuna said: “In Tamil Nadu, only monarchy exists. In 2026, the monarchy should come to an end. Chief Ministers should not be chosen on the basis of birth. We need ideologically committed leaders to rule Tamil Nadu. A common man, a Dalit, should become the Chief Minister.”

His comments on the “dynastic politics of the DMK” sparked a controversy, as the VCK is a constituent of the DMK-led alliance. VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan suspended him. Mr. Arjuna quit the party a few days later.

Meets Thirumavalavan

Later in the day, Mr. Arjuna met Mr. Thirumavalavan at the VCK headquarters.

Speaking to reporters along with the VCK leader, Mr. Arjuna said Mr. Thirumavalavan had given him a lot of advice, which he would follow in his new party. Mr. Thirumavalavan said Mr. Arjuna had started a new kind of politics.

Minister says no Pongal gift due to financial crisis

Minister says no Pongal gift due to financial crisis 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 10.01.2025

Chennai : Chief minister M K Stalin on Thursday launched distribution of Pongal gift hampers to 2.2 crore PDS cardholders and Sri Lankan Tamils in rehabilitation camps. The move cost the exchequer ₹249 crore. Finance minister Thangam Thennarasu told the legislative assembly that govt could not extend the Pongal gift of ₹1,000 this year due to a financial crisis. The Pongal hampers, consisting of a kg of sugar, raw rice and sugarcane, will be distributed from Jan 9 to 13 at PDS outlets across the state. As a token gesture, Stalin gave away hampers to cardholders at the TUCS (Tamilnadu Urban Cooperative Society) outlet at Little Mount. “Arrangements have been made to distribute hampers before the Pongal festival,” an official release said. 

The chief minister also launched the distribution of free saris and dhotis to 1.77 crore beneficiaries. Thennarasu said state govt spent ₹2,028 crore towards relief and restoration due to impact of natural disasters last year. While state govt demanded that Centre release ₹37,893 crore for relief and restoration for Chennai, Kancheepuram and southern districts, it released only the state disaster response fund of ₹276 crore. “The Centre also has not released ₹2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha scheme,” the minister said. He was responding to CPI MLA K Marimuthu’s request for Pongal cash. When AIADMK MLAA Govindasamy recalled demand by Stalin, while in opposition, to extend more when AIADMK distributed ₹2,500 Pongal cash and gift hamper, minister Duraimurugan intervened to say that AIADMK extended the Pongal gift during elections.

Jan 5 not my real birthday, says Didi ‘OFFICIAL AGE WRONG’

Jan 5 not my real birthday, says Didi ‘OFFICIAL AGE WRONG’

Tamaghna.Banerjee@timesofindia.com  09.01.2025

Kolkata : Three days after she was wished on her birthday, CM Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that Jan 5 was not the day she was born but just a random date that her father had put in the school records. The date, therefore, got mentioned in her certificates. Banerjee explained that she was a “home delivery product” (born at home) and did not know her real birthday. She added that she did not like her name either. “Many people celebrate and wish me on my birthday (Jan 5). But I believe I was born later. There is a poem that goes, ‘jonmo hobe sedin, ei prithibi theke bidaay nebo jedin’ (I will be born on the day I leave this world) — that’s my viewpoint,” 

Banerjee said while attending a Students’ Week event at Dhono Dhanyo auditorium on Wednesday. Banerjee said: “We are home delivery products... I did not choose my name, age or surname. Many people wish me happy birthday on Jan 5, but I do not like that day at all. It’s just what my parents put on the certificate. When I was in college, my brother once told me, ‘do you know how dad decided your age?’ He said there was a six month difference between our ages on the certificate. I asked how. My brother said that when our father went for my school admission, he asked the headmaster, who was also his friend, to write down any age. This was a common practice in the past for those like us born at home — home delivery.” “So, the real age remains hidden, and the fake age on the certificate is what people assume to be true. I could share this story today because my brother is here. My age is five years off and when I found out, I tried a lot to correct this. I even wrote about it in a book called ‘Ekante’. Even my name is not to my liking, but it happened anyway.” Banerjee, in her memoir ‘Ekante’ (1995), wrote that she was born during Durga Puja