Manipur unrest: Supreme Court to hear plea on Manipur video case against Centre, state
Manipur Unrest: Two women have approached the Supreme Court, filing petitions against the centre and the Manipur government concerning a deeply distressing incident in strife-torn Manipur. The petitions seek suo motu action by the court and a fair and impartial inquiry, while also requesting identity protection for the victims.
Last week, the Supreme Court expressed its condemnation of the video showing the two women being paraded naked, describing it as a display of "gross constitutional failure". Chief Justice DY Chandrachud urged the government to take concrete measures to safeguard women in the region and keep the court informed of their progress.
The centre has requested the Supreme Court to transfer the trial to a different state and ensure its completion within six months.
The video of the incident has elicited widespread condemnation from opposition leaders. An Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) in Manipur has alleged that the women were gang-raped in a field on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, located 35 kilometers from the state capital, Imphal. However, the police assert that the incident occurred in a different district, despite the FIR being filed in Kangpokpi.
The appalling event unfolded after clashes between the Meitei and Kuki tribes in Manipur, triggered by the Meitei's demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.
Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed deep concern and called for prompt action from the government to bring the perpetrators to justice. He emphasized that the court must be kept informed of the steps taken by the government to address the violence depicted in the media and visuals, which he deemed a grave constitutional violation.
Originally scheduled to hear several petitions related to the ethnic violence in Manipur on July 28, the Supreme Court postponed the hearing due to Chief Justice Chandrachud's illness.
Both the Manipur government and the Home Ministry have recommended a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe into the case on July 26 and July 27, respectively. Presently, seven individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
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- With inputs from agencies
