Tribal women who were paraded naked by mob in Manipur approach SC

 Victim seek suo motu action and fair inquiry while requesting identity protection

IANS, 31 July 2023, New Delhi: The two tribal women, who were paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob in Manipur, have approached the Supreme Court.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud is scheduled to hear on Monday the plea filed by the two survivors along with the clutch of pleas related to inter-ethnic clashes in Manipur, including the suo moto case where Centre and Manipur governments were directed to take immediate steps on the viral video of the two young women being paraded naked.

The bench will also consider the reply of the Centre government detailing the actions taken in relation to the disturbing incident.

In its reply filed, the central government has informed the Supreme Court that investigation in the incident has been transferred to CBI and requested the top court to order transfer of the entire case, including trial to any state outside Manipur.

On July 20, the Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the disturbing viral videos and asked the Centre and the state governments to apprise it about the steps taken by July 28.

“Using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy,” said a bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud on July 20, a day after the viral video surfaced on social media.

The bench told the Solicitor General of India that the top court will be constrained to “step in” if the state government does not take action. “We will give a little time to the government to act otherwise we will take action,” it had said.