Justice Ajay Rastogi: Background and Role in Karur Stampede Probe
Justice Ajay Rastogi is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India, widely respected for his judicial integrity, administrative skills, and contributions to landmark constitutional rulings. Born on June 18, 1958, in Rajasthan, he hails from a legal family—his father, Harish Chandra Rastogi, was a prominent civil lawyer at the Rajasthan High Court. Justice Rastogi enrolled as an advocate in 1982 and built a robust practice at the Rajasthan High Court, specializing in constitutional law, service matters, civil litigation, and taxation. He was elevated to the bench of the Rajasthan High Court in 2004, serving as a judge until 2018, when he was appointed to the Supreme Court.
As a Supreme Court judge, he participated in several high-profile benches, delivering nuanced judgments on issues like animal rights (e.g., upholding Jallikattu traditions in Tamil Nadu), electoral reforms (including appointments to the Election Commission of India), and fundamental rights. Known for his balanced approach and emphasis on procedural fairness, he retired on July 3, 2023, after a distinguished 19-year judicial career. Post-retirement, he has been frequently called upon for oversight roles in sensitive national investigations, underscoring the judiciary’s confidence in his impartiality.
Recent Appointment: Oversight of CBI Probe into Karur Stampede
On October 13, 2025, the Supreme Court of India, in a bench led by Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria, ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the tragic stampede during a rally of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)—the political outfit of actor-turned-politician Vijay—in Karur, Tamil Nadu, on September 27, 2025. The incident claimed 41 lives and injured over 100 others, amid allegations of administrative lapses in crowd management and permissions.
To ensure transparency and independence, the Court constituted a three-member monitoring committee headed by Justice Rastogi. The panel includes two senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from the Tamil Nadu cadre (not natives of the state, at least at the rank of Inspector General of Police), to be nominated by Justice Rastogi himself. The committee will supervise the CBI’s progress, devise its own procedures, conduct ancillary inquiries if needed, and receive monthly reports from the agency. This setup addresses concerns raised in petitions by TVK and others, including claims of inadequate state-level probes by the Madras High Court.
Justice Rastogi’s selection for this role highlights his post-retirement expertise in high-stakes oversight, similar to his involvement in other national matters. The decision aims to deliver accountability to victims’ families while maintaining judicial scrutiny over the investigation.
The Supreme Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the Karur stampede tragedy, which claimed at least 41 lives and left many injured. A three-member oversight committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi, will monitor the probe