Trial in Manipur ethnic violence cases needs to be expedited: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the ongoing trial in the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence needs to be expedited and sought a status report from authorities.

Ethnic violence in Manipur broke out on May 3, 2025, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts. The protest was held against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence claimed over 260 lives and left thousands of people displaced.

On Wednesday, a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that, according to a SIT report, chargesheets had been filed in 207 cases against more than 400 accused.

The bench was hearing a plea of CBI against the grant of bail by the Gauhati High Court to two accused, Arun Khundongbam and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei, who allegedly gangraped the victims and paraded them naked. “We are of the view that the ongoing trial needs to be expedited. We have asked the CBI and others to provide legal aid counsel who are well-versed in Manipuri to counsel the victims…The status of the ongoing trial must be filed in the next hearing,” it said.

At the outset, the bench said that the matter was to be heard regarding the issue of providing legal aid to victims’ families and that it would not interfere with other issues.

Referring to a CBI report, the bench said that 20 chargesheets had been filed and trials had commenced in 16 cases, while, according to the SIT status report, chargesheets had been filed in 207 cases against over 400 accused.

The bench also noted that, according to a report filed by former IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar, the law and order situation in the state was “precarious” on April 7 and 18 this year, with some incidents of violence and the state police were stressed.

The bench also said that the victims’ faith in the system was of key importance and that “confidence-building measures” with them were needed.

On September 8, 2025, the Gauhati High Court granted bail to the two accused on the grounds that they had been in custody for two years while charges were yet to be framed, and termed it to be “unjustified prolonged incarceration”.

“While the accusations here are grave and shocking, this court cannot overlook that indefinite detention without trial amounts to pretrial punishment, which is impermissible in law,” the Gauhati High Court had said in its order.

The CBI sought the cancellation of bail due to grave allegations of sexual violence.

During the proceedings on Wednesday, advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for some of the victims, said that the same court, which on May 9, 2025, noted the heinous nature of offences, granted bail on September 8 on the grounds of delay.

“As it is a matter of liberty, an egregious ground is required to cancel the bail. Our main concern is bringing home the truth, and for that, whatever rehabilitation measure is necessary, we will examine…” the apex court bench said.

Earlier in March, the apex court had directed the appointment of legal aid counsel for the victims by the state legal services authority.

On July 20, 2023, the apex court took suo-moto cognisance of the matter after a video of the assault surfaced online and was widely shared months later, triggering nationwide outrage. The violence was preceded by earlier tensions over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

In August 2023, the Centre constituted the Justice Gita Mittal Commission to oversee relief and rehabilitation of the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur on the recommendation of the government of Manipur, citing the necessity of an inquiry into a matter of public importance. Its tenure was recently extended till July 31.