Busy preparing for assembly polls, Vijay seeks 10 days for CBI summons

Slated to commence the interview process to screen ticket aspirants of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Tuesday (tomorrow), party founder and actor Vijay has sought 10 days’ time to appear before the CBI in response to the summons in connection with the investigation into the September 27 last horrendous Karur stampede at his rally in Karur, which claimed 41 lives.

In a submission on behalf of Vijay at the CBI office in Chennai, TVK leaders have cited the election related interview of candidates aspiring for the party ticket, and have sought a minimum of ten days for him to appear for the summons. The TVK has also requested that he may be permitted to appear at the Chennai office instead of Delhi, where he had presented himself twice before the CBI sleuths.

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Investigation into the case was entrusted to the CBI by the Supreme Court. At the killer stampede in Karur, 41 people, including women had died and Vijay had extended a solatium of Rs 20 lakh each to the victim’s families. He had also invited the families for a condolence meeting held at coastal Mamallapuram near Chennai.

Vijay being summoned for the third time comes when speculation is rife that the BJP leadership is engaged in talks with the actor turned politician for an alliance to take on the ruling DMK. Interestingly, the BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu have toned down their rhetoric against Vijay and started wooing him. BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad, in a statement, had urged Vijay to team up with the NDA to remove the DMK from power. “If he is really committed to the overthrow of the DMK, he should join the NDA. This will also help him to stay afloat in politics,” Prasad said.

Even as the CBI summons has rattled the TVK leadership, the Censor Board has postponed the re-examination of the actor’s swansong movie, Jana Nayagan, disappointing the film’s producers and distributors as well as Vijay’s ardent fans. The re-examination slated for today (Monday) has been put off since one of the panel members is said to be indisposed. The producers, who had withdrawn the case against the Censor Board, had hoped to announce the release date and carry on works related to that. But, the postponement has come as a double shock for the TVK and it remains to be seen whether the movie will get released before the Assembly election.