Imphal: The Supreme Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a status report within two weeks on the 11 FIRs it is probing in connection with the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also proposed that the monitoring of trials and related proceedings in the violence cases could be entrusted to the jurisdictional Manipur High Court, which recently appointed a new Chief Justice, or to the Gauhati High Court, or jointly to both courts, instead of continuing supervision by the apex court.
The bench further directed the Centre and the Manipur government to ensure implementation of the recommendations made by the Justice Gita Mittal Committee, which was constituted to oversee relief, rehabilitation and welfare measures for victims of the ethnic clashes.
The court-appointed panel, headed by Justice Gita Mittal — former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court — and comprising Justice Shalini P. Joshi, former judge of the Bombay High Court, and Justice Asha Menon, former judge of the Delhi High Court, has submitted multiple reports outlining steps for victim rehabilitation.
The violence, which broke out on May 3, 2023 following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the hill districts against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, has left over 200 people dead, several hundred injured and thousands displaced.
At the outset of the hearing, senior advocate Vrinda Grover, representing a woman victim who recently passed away, sought substitution of her mother as petitioner. She alleged that the CBI failed to inform the victim that a chargesheet had been filed in her rape case. Grover submitted that the Kuki woman died last month due to illness allegedly linked to trauma suffered after being gang-raped during the violence.
Grover also expressed concern over the conduct of proceedings in the trial court, claiming that key accused persons were not appearing and that the CBI was not adequately present. She described the situation as deeply troubling.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said the concerns raised regarding victims’ rights could not be disputed. He emphasised that the rights of victims must be protected.
The Chief Justice stated that the CBI should file a status report on the issues raised and suggested that monitoring responsibilities could be assigned to the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.
When counsel pointed out that the Gauhati High Court was already overseeing certain trials, the bench observed that such an arrangement was appropriate given the sensitive situation in Manipur. The court indicated that either the Manipur High Court, the Gauhati High Court, or both in coordination, could supervise the cases and asked counsel to seek instructions on the proposal within two weeks.
The bench also suggested that the Chief Justices of the Manipur and Gauhati High Courts coordinate mechanisms for recording victim statements and handling related matters. It noted that clarity was required on whether both Chief Justices could be entrusted with distinct monitoring roles, following which an appropriate framework could be evolved.
The court further directed that victims be provided free legal aid. It observed that if local legal aid counsels were unavailable due to the previously tense atmosphere, lawyers from the Guwahati Bar could be deputed.
During the hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing a tribal forum of the Kuki community, submitted that two committees had been appointed — one to oversee criminal justice aspects and another for rehabilitation. He stated that 27 reports had been filed before the court but copies had not been provided to stakeholders, adding that rehabilitation efforts had stalled and prosecution progress remained limited.
ALSO READ: Centre approves UPSC (Mains) Exam centre in Imphal, major relief for Manipur aspirants
The apex court expressed concern that sensitive information contained in the reports could be misused if circulated. In response, Gonsalves suggested that confidential portions could be redacted before sharing.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 26.
Last month, the Supreme Court extended the tenure of the Justice Gita Mittal Committee until July 31 to continue supervising relief and rehabilitation measures for victims of the Manipur violence.
