Manipur violence: Supreme Court transfers cases probed by CBI to Assam

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• Aug 25, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The Supreme Court on Friday said that the trial in the Manipur violence cases being investigated by the CBI will take place in...

Digital Desk: The Supreme Court on Friday said that the trial in the Manipur violence cases being investigated by the CBI will take place in neighbouring Assam, and it asked the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to nominate one or more judicial officers to deal with the matter.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued a number of directives, including that judicial proceedings connected to the production of accused, remand, judicial custody, and its extension will be conducted online at a designated court in Gauhati.

Judicial custody of the accused, if allowed, will be conducted in Manipur to avoid transit, it said.

The bench also allowed persons, including victims, witnesses, and others related to CBI cases, to appear physically before the designated Gauhati court if they did not wish to appear online.

It directed the Manipur government to provide appropriate internet services in order to conduct online hearings in CBI cases before the Gauhati court.

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To oversee the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur, the top court appointed the Justice Gita Mittal committee on August 21.

Over ten cases have been transferred to the CBI, including one involving the sexual assault of two women whose video went viral on social media.

Noting that many Manipur residents may have lost their identity documents as a result of the ethnic strife, the Supreme Court-appointed panel has urged the top court to issue a slew of directives to the state government and others, including the UIDAI, to ensure Aadhaar cards are made available to those displaced and the victims' compensation scheme is broadened.

The panel presented three reports, each of which emphasized the necessity of reconstructing identification documents, upgrading remuneration, and appointing subject-matter experts to help the panel function.

More than 160 people have been killed and hundreds have been injured since ethnic violence erupted in the state on May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill areas to protest the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.