The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Manipur chief secretary to file an affidavit explaining the circumstances surrounding deaths, particularly unnatural deaths, of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in relief camps and the steps taken by the state to investigate such incidents and initiate criminal proceedings.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana expressed concern after examining reports indicating that more than 30 people had died in relief camps in the state. The material placed before the court included reports of the committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal and an IAS officer.
The bench sought an explanation from the state on why significant action had not been taken despite information supplied by the Justice Mittal committee regarding the deaths. It specifically asked why postmortem examinations had been conducted in only 20 of 34 reported death cases.
The court also questioned the compensation of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 paid in cases where internally displaced persons suffered unnatural deaths while staying in relief camps.
The reports considered by the bench indicated that one of the deaths had occurred following an alleged sexual assault.
MSLSA Asked To Ensure FIRs And Expeditious Investigation
The Supreme Court directed the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) to submit a separate status report concerning the deaths.
The Chief Justice asked the legal services authority to ensure registration of FIRs in all cases involving unnatural deaths. The MSLSA was also directed to see that investigations into those FIRs proceed expeditiously.
The bench further emphasised that the safety and dignity of internally displaced persons living in relief camps must be ensured.
Court Hopes Special Courts Will Complete Manipur Violence Trials Expeditiously
During the proceedings, the Supreme Court also dealt with criminal cases arising from the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur.
The bench expressed hope that the two special trial courts established exclusively for cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) would conclude the trials expeditiously.
Referring to reports before it, the court noted that details of the cases had been supplied to legal services counsel so that petitioner-victims could avail their assistance in pursuing the matters.
The bench also recorded that details had been provided by the Manipur government and former IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar, who is monitoring the CBI investigation into cases connected with the violence.
CBI Investigated 31 Cases, Final Reports Filed In 28
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the CBI and the state government, informed the court that the central agency had investigated 31 cases and filed final reports in 28 of them. Three CBI cases remained under investigation.
Apart from the cases handled by the CBI, the state constituted 42 Special Investigation Teams comprising local police officers across eight districts.
According to the figures placed before the court, the SITs registered 3,020 cases. Chargesheets have been filed in 302 matters, while closure reports have been submitted in 1,583 cases. Investigations remain pending in 1,135 cases.
Trials have commenced in 33 cases investigated by the state SITs.
The Supreme Court had earlier asked the Manipur and Assam governments and other authorities to consider establishing two special trial courts exclusively for CBI and NIA cases arising from the ethnic violence.
Violence Began In May 2023
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the hill districts against the demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the majority Meitei community.
More than 200 people have been killed, several hundred injured and thousands displaced since the violence began.
