The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a status report within two weeks in connection with 11 FIRs arising out of the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence cases. The court also explored the possibility of transferring the ongoing monitoring from the apex court to the jurisdictional high courts.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the High Court of Manipur—now under a new Chief Justice—or the Gauhati High Court, or both, could monitor the trials and related developments in the violence cases.
The issue came up when senior advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for a woman victim who recently died, sought to substitute her client with the victim’s mother. She accused the CBI of failing to inform her that a chargesheet had been filed in the gang rape case.
Grover alleged, “The main accused are not appearing. The CBI is not present. The casualness with which it is happening is shocking.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, responded, “Nobody can oppose what Grover is saying. The victim’s rights cannot be affected.”
CJI Surya Kant then observed that the monitoring aspect could be entrusted to the Manipur High Court’s Chief Justice, adding, “We can ask the Chief Justices of Manipur and Gauhati High Courts to coordinate and see how victims’ statements need to be handled and how they can be recorded.”
The bench instructed the CBI to file a detailed status report addressing the issues raised by Grover and to ensure that free legal aid is provided to victims.
“If legal aid counsels (LACs) are not available on account of the earlier charged atmosphere, LACs from the Guwahati bar can go,” said the CJI.
The court sought instructions from the parties within two weeks on whether both High Courts could be entrusted with “varied monitoring” to evolve a workable mechanism.
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing a tribal body of Kuki tribals, pointed out that two court-appointed committees—one for criminal justice and another for rehabilitation—had submitted 27 reports, but none had been shared with the victims or their representatives.
“Rehabilitation is at a standstill. Prosecution is very low,” Gonsalves submitted.
The bench expressed concern about the sensitive nature of the reports, with CJI noting that such content “could reach somewhere else.” Gonsalves responded that the sensitive portions could be redacted.
The ethnic violence in Manipur broke out on May 3, 2023, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was held in the hill districts opposing the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The conflict has claimed more than 200 lives, left hundreds injured, and displaced thousands.
The Supreme Court had earlier appointed a three-member committee led by Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, along with former High Court judges Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon, to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts. The committee’s tenure was recently extended until July 31.
The matter will be taken up next on February 26, with the court expecting status updates from the CBI and instructions on the proposed monitoring framework by the high courts.
