THE Supreme Court on Monday said the trial of the Manipur ethnic violence cases, probed by the CBI, would be conducted in Guwahati, Assam, where it was transferred to earlier. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna also extended till July 31, 2025, the tenure of a committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal, the former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

 

The panel, also comprising former Bombay High Court judge Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon, former Delhi High Court judge, was set up on August 7, 2023 by the top court to oversee relief and rehabilitation of the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur. The tenure of panel was previously extended by the top court by 6 months on August 5, last year. On Monday, the bench noted the submissions of a lawyer over the fate of the trials in the cases that were transferred to Guwahati for pre-trial proceedings by the bench on August 25, 2023. “We clarify that the trial of transferred cases will be held before the courts at Guwahati,” the CJI said.

 

Keeping in mind the “overall environment in Manipur and the need for ensuring a fair process of criminal justice administration”, the top court transferred to Assam, 27 cases, having various offences, including the sexual assault case of the two women seen in a viral video being paraded naked. While passing a slew of directions, the top court had directed the Gauhati High Court chief justice to nominate one or more judicial officers to deal with the transferred cases. Of the 27 cases, 20 related to charges of molestation, rape, murder whereas three related to loot of weapons. 

 

 

MANIPUR’S Churachandpur administration on Monday imposed prohibitory orders across the district following clashes between the Hmar and Zomi communities, a day after a Hmar tribal leader was assaulted amidst demands from the community to identify perpetrators, police said. According to the Additional District Magistrate, the prohibitory orders have been imposed under Section 163 of the BNSS 2023. “Whereas reports have been received from Superintendent of Police, Churachandpur, indicating a serious apprehension of a breach of law and order in the district, which is likely to disturb peace and tranquillity among different communities and may lead to damage to life and public property,” the order stated.