New Delhi, July 31 : Two tribal women, who were subjected to the harrowing ordeal of being paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob in Manipur, have approached the Supreme Court seeking justice. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud is set to preside over the hearing on Monday, where the survivors’ plea will be considered alongside several other petitions related to inter-ethnic clashes in Manipur. Among these is the suo moto case where the Centre and Manipur governments were directed to take urgent action in response to the distressing viral video of the incident.
The Centre has filed a reply to the Supreme Court, informing them that the investigation into the incident has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Additionally, the central government has requested the top court to order the transfer of the entire case, including the trial, to a state outside Manipur.
On July 20, the Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the disturbing viral videos and demanded that both the Centre and state governments provide an update on the steps taken in response to the incident by July 28.
The bench, led by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, unequivocally condemned the use of women as instruments for perpetrating violence, deeming it unacceptable in a constitutional democracy. The court warned the Solicitor General of India that it would intervene if the state government failed to take appropriate action. “We will give a little time to the government to act, otherwise, we will take action,” the bench stated.
This case has garnered significant attention and concern, and the Supreme Court’s involvement underscores the urgency to address such heinous acts of violence and ensure justice for the survivors.”
