The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a fresh direction to the Manipur government and the CBI to expedite the ongoing trial in the ethnic violence that has claimed over 260 lives in the state.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked the CBI to file a fresh status report, including details of the pending trials, the number of chargesheets filed and investigations being conducted.
“We are of the view that the ongoing trial needs to be expedited. The status of the ongoing trial must be filed by the next hearing,” the bench said in an order.
The bench made the observation while hearing a CBI plea against the grant of
bail by Gauhati High Court to two accused persons, Arun Khundongbam and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei, who
had allegedly gang-raped some of the victims of ethnic violence and paraded them naked. The top court refrained from interfering with the high court’s order.
The CJI also noted that, according to a report filed by SIT chief and former IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar, the law and order situation in the state was “precarious” on April 7 and 18 this year following a fresh flare-ups.
At the last hearing on February 13, the bench had directed the state government to ensure that all victims of violence are given copies of the chargesheets filed by the CBI and also free legal aid through the State Legal Services Authority.
The top court had earlier transferred around 27 cases being probed by the CBI to Assam for a fair trial.
On a separate application moved by the Manipur government, the bench on Wednesday permitted it to appoint a new director-general of police from outside the state cadre.
Human rights plea
A Congress delegation from Manipur led by legislature party leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh on Wednesday approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking directions to the state government to submit a report on the whereabouts of the 20 Nagas and Kuki-Zos abducted on May 13 and to ensure their
safe release.