Manipur horror: SC asks CBI to put on hold recording of statements of two women

Manipur horror: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the probe agency CBI to put on hold the recording of the statement of the two women victims in the Manipur viral video case till it hears the main case today at 2 pm. 

The top court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to convey to the CBI to await the outcome of today’s hearing.

Earlier, the Supreme Court on Monday said the extent of its intervention in the Manipur violence case would depend on what the government has done so far and if the court is satisfied that the authorities have done adequately, it may not intervene at all.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud observed if the apex court is not satisfied with the steps taken by the government, then there is a “grave and urgent” need to intervene immediately.

The bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, was hearing a batch of pleas concerning the ethnic violence in Manipur.

Terming as “horrendous” the video of two women being paraded naked in Manipur amid reports that the police handed them over to the rioting mob, the bench asked searching queries over delayed registration of the FIR while mooting the idea of setting up of a committee of retired judges or an SIT to oversee the probe.

“The extent of our intervention will also depend on what the government has done so far. If we are satisfied that the government has done adequately so far, we may not intervene at all. But if we are not satisfied, then we feel that there is a grave and urgent need for us to intervene immediately,” the CJI observed during the hearing.

The bench said it will have to also ensure that merely entrusting the probe to the CBI or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) may not sub-serve the purpose and the court will have to issue directions on the modalities, like the recording of statements under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which deals with recording of confessions and statements before a magistrate.

It said, suppose a woman is in a relief camp in Manipur, who is going to record her statement.

“We can’t have her go to the magistrate court and have a statement under (section) 164 recorded,” it said.

“We have to necessarily ensure that the process of justice must go to her doorsteps, record her statement, record her statement in conditions which are conducive for recording of statement,” the bench observed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Manipur government, said the apex court may have a “fool-proof” system which may be replicated everywhere. “We can’t develop a system which is fool-proof because they are all designed and operated by human beings. We can only try,” the CJI observed.

Mehta said the government shares the concerns expressed by the apex court and the Union of India has no objection if the top court monitors the investigation into the violence. “The highest court of the country monitoring it, there will be nothing greater than that for confidence building measure,” he said.

Manipur videos triggered outrage

On July 19, videos of Manipur horror surfaced on social media which shook the nation’s consciences. The video was shot on May 4 – the day clashes between two ethnic groups began in the northeast state – showed brutal crime in which a large number of men made two women parade naked and molested them. 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recorded an FIR to assume control over the probe into the alleged rape incident in Manipur’s Thoubal area, where three women were stripped and marched naked. Under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and IT Act, the central agency has filed a case for murder, gang rape, outraging modesty, and criminal assault.

Ever since the violence began in Manipur, more than 10,000 FIRs have been registered while 181 people have lost their lives including 60 Meitei, 113 Kuki, 3 CAPF, 1 Nepali, 1 NAGA, 1 unknown, 21 women — 17 Kuki, 3 meitei, 1 NAGA.

Violence in Manipur

More than 120 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 injured since ethnic violence broke out on May 3 when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Around 40,000 central security personnel, besides the Manipur Police, have been deployed to control the violence and bring back normality in the state.

(With PTI inputs)

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