Guwahati: The Supreme Court of India has directed the Manipur government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to submit detailed reports regarding the status of investigations and charge sheets filed in cases related to ethnic violence.
The aim is to aid the court in determining whether the trials should proceed in Assam or remain in Manipur.
Amidst a spate of violent incidents, armed protests, highway blockades, and even an attack on the residence of a district collector in the past two months, the apex court clarified its limitations in issuing directives to maintain law and order in Manipur.
Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra, emphasized that maintaining law and order falls within the jurisdiction of the state government.
Attorney General R Venkataramani has been tasked with examining a recent report submitted by the Justice Gita Mittal committee on the recent surge of violence in Manipur. The court has also requested the committee’s counsel to furnish a copy of the report to the attorney general for further instructions.
The court referred to communication from a special judge in Guwahati regarding the transfer of cases from Manipur, seeking clarification on whether trials should proceed in Guwahati as per the court’s directive issued on August 25, 2023. Additionally, the judge sought guidance on handling juvenile offenders.
The Manipur government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, expressed its preference for conducting trials within the state, citing improvements in the situation. In response, the court requested a tabulated chart outlining the status of cases to better evaluate the readiness for trials.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the listing of petitions on Manipur violence in two weeks. Notably, last year, on August 25, the court ordered the transfer of several Manipur violence cases to Assam for investigation by the CBI, including a case involving the sexual assault of two women, as captured in a viral video.
The violence in Manipur, which erupted in May 2023 over a high court order considering the inclusion of the non-tribal Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes, has claimed over 160 lives and left hundreds injured.
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