The Centre today requested the Supreme Court to transfer the trial in the Manipur violence case outside the state. It also requested the top court to order the completion of trial, of the entire case regarding violence in Manipur, including the gang-rape case, in six months. Sources said the affidavit was filed by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla himself, in a message to the court that the Centre is acting on the case with utmost seriousness.
The Manipur government recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the case on July 26. The Home Ministry had also recommended a CBI probe in the case on July 27.
“The central government considers the offences like the present one to be too heinous which deserve to be taken not only with the seriousness it deserves, but justice should be seen to be done so that it has a deterrent effect throughout the nation with respect to crimes against women. This is one of the reasons why the central government (with consent from the state government) has taken a decision to entrust the investigation to an independent investigating agency i.e. CBI,” the Centre said while listing steps taken to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Seven people have already been arrested in the case — the last one was arrested from Thoubal district on Monday.
A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud was scheduled to hear pleas over violence in Manipur today, but couldn’t as the CJI wasn’t available.
The top court earlier took suo motu cognisance of the brutal gang rape of women in the state after a video showing women being paraded naked and assaulted went viral on social media.
The video from Manipur, coming ahead of the monsoon session of parliament, generated furore in the house, with the opposition demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When the government made it clear that none was coming, the opposition took a circuitous route, pushing for a no-confidence motion against the government, which has been accepted by Speaker Om Birla.
Refuting the opposition’s claim that Manipur “is burning”, a senior government functionary on Thursday said that no killing has occurred in the state since July 18 and asserted that peace and normalcy will be restored soon through ongoing talks with the two warring communities — Meiteis and Kukis.
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