The Supreme Court has given the green light for the trial of criminal cases related to the Manipur violence to be conducted in Assam. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating these cases. In a move to ensure convenience for the victims, the court has allowed for their statements to be provided through video conferences instead of requiring them to travel to Assam. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the bench, led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, that proper internet facilities will be set up in Manipur to facilitate these video conferences. However, victims who wish to appear in court physically in Guwahati are also permitted to do so.
The Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court will be responsible for ensuring a fair process and will nominate one or more officers above the rank of Judicial Magistrate First Class and Sessions Judge to handle the trial cases. The court further stipulated that judicial custody will be allowed in Manipur. Statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) will be recorded in the presence of a local magistrate in Manipur, with the Acting Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court designating one or more magistrates for this purpose.
To address distance and security concerns, all applications related to the production of the accused, remand, judicial custody, extension of custody, and other proceedings can be conducted online. The Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court is directed to appoint judges who are proficient in one or more languages spoken in Manipur to preside over the criminal trial.
The Supreme Court’s directions came during the hearing of a batch of pleas pertaining to the ongoing ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur. Two Kuki women, who were assaulted by a mob in a video that went viral, were among the petitioners. In response to this incident, the court formed an all-women committee led by former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Gita Mittal, to propose measures. The committee submitted three reports on its findings, which included suggestions for document recovery and reconstruction, just compensation rules, and the appointment of domain experts.
Since May 3, ethnic clashes have plagued Manipur, leaving over 150 dead and thousands displaced. Some members of the Kuki community have expressed a lack of faith in the current government led by N. Biren Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who is a Meitei. They believe that a separate administration for the Kuki tribe is necessary for a way forward.
