CBI to probe Manipur sexual abuse video case

The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it has transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the probe into a case related to two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur, saying the approach of the government was of zero tolerance towards any crimes against women.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in an affidavit filed through its secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, also urged the top court to transfer the trial outside Manipur in the case in which seven persons have been arrested so far.

The details of the sexual assault on two women came out in the open last week through the leak of a video of the horrific incident.

The top court, on July 20, took note of the incident and had said it was 'deeply disturbed' by the video and use of women as instruments for perpetrating violence was 'simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy'.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had directed the Centre and Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative and preventive steps and apprise it of the action taken.

Filing its response, the Centre said, 'The Government of Manipur vide letter dated 26.07.2023 has recommended to Secretary, DOP&T for entrusting the case to CBI for further investigation, which has been duly recommended to Secretary, DOP&T by MHA vide letter dated 27.07.2023. The investigation shall thus, be transferred to CBI.'

Erlier, a top government functionary said that no effort will be spared to ensure stringent action against the accused in all heinous crimes in the state hit by ethnic violence.

"The government will seek the trial of the case, the details of which came out in the open last week through the leak of the video of the horrific incident, in Assam," the official said.

The person who filmed the incident has been arrested and his mobile phone seized, the official said, adding the recovery of the mobile will also establish the sequence of events, including the leakage of the video.

The official also said that the Union Home Ministry is in touch with both Meitei and Kuki groups and talks are in an advanced stage to restore normalcy in the state.

According to the official, nearly 150 people have died during the three-month-long ethnic violence.

The probe into five of the more serious cases involving the Manipur clashes has already been handed over to the CBI, according to the official.

Three cases have also been handed over to the National Investigation Agency.

The video of the May 4 incident sparked nationwide outrage and has become a polarising political fault line between the ruling BJP and the opposition bloc INDIA.

The opposition also seized the opportunity to corner the Modi government over the issue which has rocked the Monsoon session of Parliament since it began on July 20.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has condemned the incident in strong words but at the same time questioned the timing of the video being made viral which happened a day before the Monsoon session of Parliament.