Supreme Court upholds HC order for CBI probe in TN hooch tragedy
The Supreme Court Tuesday upheld the November 20, 2024, Madras High Court order directing a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy that claimed the lives of 68 people.
“Having heard the learned Advocate General appearing for the petitioners and having gone through the materials on record, we see no good reason to interfere with the very well-reasoned judgment of the HC,” said a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and J Mahadevan, while dismissing a special leave petition filed by the state’s ruling DMK government.
Leaving the probe to the CBI, the HC had raised concerns over the government’s handling of the case and questioned the police’s ability to conduct a fair and impartial investigation.
The tragedy, which unfolded in June and July, exposed systemic failure.
The HC highlighted glaring lapses in governance and expressed disappointment over the reinstatement of suspended police officials, including the former Kallakurichi Superintendent of Police (SP) Samay Singh Meena.