The Supreme Court on Wednesday stressed the need for expeditious completion of trials arising out of the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur and sought a status report regarding investigation, prosecution and progress of trial in the pending criminal cases connected with the unrest.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi observed that the criminal adjudicatory process must proceed without undue delay in order to ensure accountability, uphold the rule of law principles and restore public confidence in the justice delivery system amid continuing concerns arising from the violence in the State.
The violence in Manipur erupted in 2023 following protests relating to the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the Meitei community and resulted in large-scale communal clashes, deaths, destruction of property and mass displacement across several districts. More than 260 people were reportedly killed during the conflict.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court underscored the necessity of providing effective legal aid, translation assistance and witness-support mechanisms to affected families, particularly through the availability of Manipuri-speaking legal counsel and support personnel to facilitate meaningful participation of victims and witnesses during the trial process.
The Court was informed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and central investigating agencies had filed charge sheets against more than 400 accused persons in connection with various incidents arising out of the violence. However, only 207 cases had reportedly progressed to the stage of framing of charges and commencement of evidence.
The Apex Court was hearing an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging an order of the Gauhati High Court granting bail to two accused allegedly involved in a gang rape case linked to the ethnic violence. The matter formed part of the broader proceedings relating to cases transferred outside Manipur to ensure fairness and institutional neutrality in the conduct of trials.
The Bench emphasised that prosecutions involving allegations of sexual violence during communal conflict required heightened judicial scrutiny, robust witness protection safeguards and victim-sensitive adjudication, considering the gravity of the accusations and their impact on public confidence in the criminal justice system.
The Court further observed that victim rehabilitation and confidence-building measures remain essential components of the justice delivery process in conflict-related criminal prosecutions. It noted that delays in investigation, prosecution and adjudication should not dilute the requirement of accountability under criminal law.
The CBI had opposed the grant of bail on the grounds that the allegations involved grave and serious offences and that release of the accused at the present stage could adversely affect the ongoing trial, witness protection concerns and overall integrity of the prosecution process.
The matter is expected to be taken up again after submission of the status report concerning the progress of investigation, prosecution and trial in the violence-related cases.
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