Madras: The Madras High Court on Sunday cancelled the scheduled 4.30 p.m. hearing of a case against actor C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), noting that the matter was not a fresh case but an impleading petition in an ongoing proceeding.

Earlier, the court had agreed to hear an urgent plea seeking to restrain the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police from allowing any public rallies or gatherings by the TVK until the inquiry into the deaths of over 40 people at Vijay’s Karur rally on September 27 was completed.

Call for independent probe

Earlier on Sunday, Vijay-led TVK approached Justice M Dhandapani of the Madras High Court, urging a CBI or Special Investigation Team probe into the stampede that claimed 40 lives during the Karur rally.

A team of TVK lawyers, led by Deputy General Secretary C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, visited the judge’s residence to make an urgent mention, stressing the need for judicial intervention to ensure justice for the victims. They called for an independent inquiry, highlighting the scale of the incident and the importance of accountability in crowd management and safety arrangements.

Another group of advocates, led by TVK’s advocates’ wing president S Arivazhagan, also made a mention at Justice Dhandapani’s residence on Greenways Road.

The TVK team additionally requested that the court initiate suo motu proceedings into the stampede.

According to Nirmal Kumar, the judge advised filing a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which is scheduled for hearing on Monday at 2.15 p.m.

"Our petition seeking an impartial and transparent probe into the Karur tragedy will be taken up for hearing before the Madurai Bench tomorrow afternoon," Nirmal Kumar told reporters.