Manipur Violence: Supreme Court Proposes Committee To Look Into Humanitarian Aspects, CBI To Handle Some Cases

The Supreme Court on Monday (7 August) proposed the formation of a committee comprising three former High Court judges to examine the humanitarian aspects of the ongoing violence in Manipur.

The committee, headed by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Justice Gita Mittal, will also include Justices Shalini Phansaklar Joshi and Asha Menon.

In addition to this, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud-led Bench directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to have at least five Deputy Superintendent of Police or Superintendent of Police (SP) level officers from different states overseeing the investigation into some of the First Information Reports (FIRs) to ensure improved investigation in such cases.

The apex court's decision came during the hearing of several petitions related to the ethnic violence in Manipur, which has resulted in over 140 deaths and the displacement of thousands of people.

Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh also appeared before the bench to address queries regarding the steps taken by the administration in response to the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had criticized the state police for the "complete breakdown of law and order and constitutional machinery" in Manipur. The court expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress of investigations, especially in cases targeting women, and summoned the DGP to provide explanations.

The Centre urged the bench to transfer 11 out of 6,523 FIRs related to violence against women and children, including the two FIRs related to a video showing women being paraded naked by a mob, to the CBI and try them outside Manipur.

The bench is currently hearing around ten petitions related to the violence, seeking various reliefs, including a court-monitored probe, rehabilitation measures, and other relief efforts.