In
a significant development, the Supreme Court Friday transferred to neighbouring
Assam 17 Manipur violence cases being probed by the CBI, including the sexual
assault case of two women seen in a viral video being paraded naked, and asked
the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to nominate one or more judicial
officers to deal with them.
The
top court passed a slew of directions on judicial procedures, including the
virtual examination of victims and witnesses by courts, saying they have been
issued at the present stage, bearing in mind the overall environment in Manipur
and the need for ensuring a fair process of criminal justice administration.
A
bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and
Manoj Misra rejected the submissions of many lawyers, who were opposed to
transfer of CBI cases to Assam, and accepted the submissions of Solicitor
General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Manipur government, that
the suggestion has been made keeping in mind the better internet connectivity
there.
We
chose it for the connectivity and the maximum (internet) connectivity is in
Assam," the law officer said.
Both
sides (Kuki and Meiteis) have been hurt ...There have been victims in valleys,
and in hills. It would be difficult for people who suffered in valleys to
travel to hills, and the other way round. We are not on who suffered more, just
the practical difficulty, the CJI said, adding the top court will pass orders
which will be fair to both sides.
Issuing
directions, the bench said, We request the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High
Court to nominate one or more officers above the rank of Judicial Magistrate
First Class/sessions judge In Guwahati in Assam to deal with such trial cases.
The Chief Justice to preferably select judges who are conversant in one or more
languages of Manipur.