Manipur video victims move Supreme Court against Centre, state government; CJI-led bench to hear today

 The two tribal women who endured the horrific ordeal of being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Manipur have filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court against the Centre and the state government, seeking justice in connection with the viral video of the incident which triggered widespread outrage.

They have also requested that their identities be kept hidden.

On Monday, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will review the response from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the incident.

In a significant development last week, the MHA informed the Supreme Court that the investigation into the case had been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI has now taken charge of the case and has formally lodged an FIR.

Furthermore, the MHA, represented by its Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in an affidavit, urged the top court to transfer the trial to a location outside Manipur to ensure a timely conclusion. Currently, seven individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. The distressing incident came to light on July 19 when a video of the assault went viral online. The police promptly registered a case of abduction, gangrape, and murder at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district.

The Supreme Court, having taken cognizance of the gravity of the situation on July 20, expressed deep concern over the video and condemned the use of women as instruments for violence, stating that it is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.

In response to the incident, CJI Chandrachud directed both the Central government and the Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative, and preventive measures and keep the top court informed of the actions taken.