News Brief
Government's Urgent Appeal: Shift Manipur Sexual Assault Case To A Different Venue As Crisis Continues
Bhuvan Krishna
Jul 31, 2023, 03:49 PM | Updated 03:49 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The central government has appealed to the Supreme Court to transfer the trial of the Manipur sexual assault case to another state.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing to consider the central government's request to transfer the trial of the Manipur video case.
This request comes in the aftermath of a dastardly video of two women being stripped naked and paraded by a mob of warring tribes in the northeast state went viral over social media.
Tension in violence-hit Manipur escalated after this video surfaced on social media platforms on 4 May.
On 18 May, a case was registered by the Manipur Police at Nongpol Sekmai Police Station in Thoubal district.
The case was filed against unidentified armed persons under sections of abduction, gangrape and murder.
The Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud-led bench was scheduled to address several cases related to the ethnic violence in the northeast state on 28 July.
However, the matter had to be deferred due to the CJI's health issues.
The Manipur violence case was brought to the attention of the top court on 20 July through suo moto cognisance.
The court directed both the state and central governments to promptly address the situation and provide updates on the actions taken.
CJI Chandrachud strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a severe violation of the Constitution.
In the meantime, the central government, represented by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in an affidavit, informed the court that the case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The government also emphasised its commitment to maintaining zero tolerance towards crimes against women.
Additionally, the central government requested the Supreme Court to relocate the trial for the Manipur violence case outside of the state.
They also urged the court to ensure the solve the entire case, including the gang-rape case, within a six-month timeframe.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Bhuvan Krishna is Staff Writer at Swarajya.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.