Manipur violence: Supreme Court seeks probe status reports from govt, agencies

The SC said, “The letter of the Special Judge arises in the context of the order dated August 25, 2023, of this court by which the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court was requested to nominate one or more officers of the rank of Chief Judicial Magistrate and Special Judge in Gauhati, Assam, to conduct all proceedings in connection with the investigation of cases relating to the violence in Manipur….We direct that an updated status report be filed…within a period of two weeks by the government of Manipur as well as CBI/NIA in regard to the investigations. The status report shall indicate whether chargesheets have been filed, and if so in how many cases and the stage of the investigation in others.”

The bench told the Manipur Advocate General, “Let’s have some idea about how many cases we are dealing with. Then we will also request them to give some assistance on whether the trial should take place in Assam.”

The bench said that “on August 25, 2023, we were at the initial stage. So, we had said we will have the investigation monitored by a Special Judge in Assam. Now, he wants to know what do I do after that”.

Appearing for the Justice (Retired) Gita Mittal Committee appointed by the court, Senior Advocate Vibha Datta Makhija said there are “some matters of grave importance” which the committee wanted to bring to the notice of the court.

“The state administration is being held by these actions” of rival groups, she said, adding, “There are some worrying public notices”. The senior counsel said that “all relief activities now has been stopped specially with the District Collector’s office being burnt down where all the relief material was housed”.

Referring to the committee seeking enquiry into the events of January 24, February 15, and February 27 this year, the CJI said “surely the government can do it”.

Makhija said, “The government has been interacting and some magisterial enquiry has also been set up. But that is not the main point. The point that is being sought to be brought before this court is that because of both the factions and because of inciting material, now this is not protest, it has become an armed protest where the officers are held to ransom. The residence of the District Collector…has been completely burnt down. The highways are stopped. There is no movement of relief material”.

The CJI said “that is why the state government is there, to bring about law and order. How can the SC direct organisations to desist from violence, and provocations that can lead to violence?…These are not matters where this court can give directions. It is a matter for proper policing and maintenance of law and order by the government…We can’t be issuing directions to civil society organisations. That’s for the government to control their activities”.

The court then asked the AG to look into the report. The AG said his information is that the February 15 and February 27 incidents have been handed over to the CBI and he shall verify.