A report accessed by The Hindu shows that the special investigation teams (SIT), set up by the Supreme Court to investigate cases of rape, sexual offences against women, murder, loot, and arson in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, have filed chargesheets only in a fraction of the cases.
When were the SITs set up?
On August 7, 2023, a Supreme Court bench led by former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud constituted 42 SITs to probe 6,523 first information reports (FIRs) pertaining to violent crimes, including sexual offences, which were reported in Manipur from May 3 to July 30, 2023. The cleaning of records brought down the number of FIRs to 3,023. The records had to be sanitised as multiple FIRs were reported for the same offence. Since people were displaced from their homes, many filed zero FIRs at police stations in Manipur or even outside the State as they could not travel to the concerned police station fearing for their safety. Zero FIRs are filed irrespective of jurisdiction and are later transferred to the police station.
Also read | Provide details of all properties burnt, looted during violence: Supreme Court to Manipur
The SIT submits a status report every month to the Supreme Court. On December 9, 2024, the court directed the Manipur government to provide details of buildings and properties which were burnt, partially burnt, looted and trespassed during the ethnic violence. The next date of hearing is January 20.
What is the crisis in Manipur?
Manipur was affected by ethnic violence among the tribal Kuki-Zo people and the Meitei community beginning May 3, 2023. The ongoing violence has claimed more than 250 lives and displaced over 60,000 people from their homes. More than 4,000 police weapons were looted from State armouries.
What does the status report say?
The Hindu accessed a status report of the SIT investigations dated November 20, 2024. It showed that the 42 SITs have filed chargesheets in only 6% of the total 3,023 registered cases. Chargesheets, the police summary of allegations, pertaining to various crimes such as rape, sexual offences against women, arson, loot, murder and other heinous acts, have been filed only in 192 cases.
From August 2023, when the SITs were constituted, till November 20 this year, the teams arrested 384 persons, identified 742 suspects and examined 11,901 witnesses. As many as 574 accused persons have been chargesheeted so far. The report stated that the SIT is investigating 126 cases of murders and 2,888 cases of loot, arson and other property crimes. A closure report has been filed in 605 cases due to a lack of evidence and witnesses. The SIT has recovered 501 weapons, 13,464 ammunition, and 412 magazines among others so far. Overall, the Manipur Police have recovered around 1,800 looted weapons so far.
What is the composition of the SIT?
Based on the recommendation of the Manipur government, the Supreme Court said the cases should be bundled under three categories — FIRs related to murder and heinous crimes, sexual crimes against women, and other crimes such as loot, arson etc. The charter of the SITs was distributed accordingly, and the teams were further divided into six groups, one each to probe cases of murders, heinous crime and rape, and sexual offences against women, and four groups to probe cases of arson, looting and other crimes.
A Superintendent of Police-rank officer deputed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was tasked with supervising three SITs each which comprise two inspectors, six sub-inspectors and 12 constables.
The SITs were composed for eight districts, Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Tengnoupal, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi.
What did the court say?
On July 20, 2023, after a video of two tribal Kuki-Zo women being paraded naked by a mob surfaced on social media, the top court called for reports indicating the steps taken by the government to hold the perpetrators accountable and ensure that such incidents are not repeated. Though the incident occurred on May 4, 2023, the case was filed in July, after the video went viral.
Both the Union government and the State government were directed to take immediate steps — remedial, rehabilitative, and preventive — and to apprise the court of the action taken so far. On August 1, 2023, the State informed the court that 11 FIRs involving cases of violence against women and children had been filed, though this was subject to further verification. Seven arrests were made in connection with these 11 FIRs, the State informed the court. The Centre said the State was willing to transfer the 11 cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The sexual violence case of the two women was transferred to the CBI along with other cases.
Expressing dismay at the “tardy pace of investigation,” the court constituted a three-member committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of the J&K High Court. The mandate of the committee is to enquire into the nature of violence against women that occurred in Manipur from May 4, 2023, from all available sources, including personal meetings with survivors, members of the families of survivors, local/community representatives, authorities in charge of relief camps and the FIRs lodged as well as media reports.
The court also appointed Dattatray Padsalgikar, former Director General of Police, Maharashtra to supervise the investigation by the CBI into the FIRs transferred to it and the investigation into the remaining FIRs.
What are the challenges?
A senior government official says there are several logistical issues hampering the investigation. For recording the statement of a victim, language is a challenge as many officers heading the investigating teams are from outside the State. There have been instances when victims have changed their phone numbers. “Then, for an FIR registered in Imphal (valley), a victim who hails from the hill districts, will not want to speak to an officer from the valley — this causes delays. The same is true for cases registered in the hills when the victims are from the valley,” said the official.
When will the cases go to trial?
The trial is yet to commence in any of the cases, as a direction from the Supreme Court is awaited. There are concerns about holding the trial in the State due to the ongoing ethnic violence. Even though the CBI filed a chargesheet last October in a CBI court in Guwahati in the sexual violence case of the two Kuki-Zo women, the trial is yet to begin.
Published – December 22, 2024 12:52 am IST