Manipur women disrobing: SC cites 'lack of evidence', decides to take action after hearing both sides

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stated that it will take action over the viral video of parading women naked in Manipur after hearing both sides briefly. The apex court also cited a lack of evidence in the case.

"We do not have an evidentiary record now. Let us hear the petitioners and then come back to Attorney General and Solicitor General," said Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

The CJI observed that the attack on women is not an isolated incident and called for evolving a broad mechanism to deal with violence against women in strife-torn Manipur. At the same time, the apex court asked how many FIRs have been registered in such incidents in the state since May.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud that the Union of India has no objection if the apex court monitors the investigation into the Manipur violence.

The bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, is hearing a batch of petitions concerning the violence in Manipur.

At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the two women who were seen in a May 4 video being paraded naked in Manipur, said they have filed a petition in the matter.

The matter was taken up by a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra.

The batch of petitions includes a petition filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum, Delhi, seeking the protection of the Kuki tribe by the Army and a petition filed by Dinganglung Gangme, the chairman of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC), challenging the direction of the Manipur High Court to consider the inclusion of Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list.

Meanwhile, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared for Kuki side in the Manipur violence case opposed the CBI probe and sought an investigation by a Special Investigation Team comprising retired DGPs. He appealed to the Supreme Court not to include any officer from Manipur.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising called for forming a High Powered Committee with women from Civil Societies for handling sexual assault cases.

“ As far as the law is concerned, victims of rape don't talk about it. They don't come out with their trauma. The first thing is to build confidence. Today, we don't know that if the CBI starts an investigation, women will come out. Women will be comfortable with talking to women about the incident instead of the police. There should be a High Powered Committee with women from civil societies who have experience in dealing with survivors,” she said.

The apex court on July 20 observed that it was "deeply disturbed" by the video of two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur, saying that using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is "simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy".

Taking cognisance of the video, a bench headed by the chief justice of India directed the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative and preventive steps and apprise it of the action taken.

Scores of people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

The issue related to ST status for Meitei triggered the riots in the state.

(With agency, Live Law inputs)