New Delhi (UNI)
The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Central government and questioned it on why the FIR in the Manipur viral video case, in which two women were allegedly sexually assaulted and paraded naked by a mob, was registered on May 18, when the incident happened on May 4.
A three-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chadrachud, asked the government why the police took 14 days to register the zero FIR.
“Inform us what kind of legal aid you are providing to victims,” the Apex Court asked the Centre and the
state government.
The Top Court, hearing a batch of petitions related to violence in Manipur, said that whatever happened
in the northeastern state cannot be justified by saying that it happens elsewhere in the country.
The Apex Court termed the offence against Manipur women, as ‘horrendous’, and said that it does
not want it to be handled by state police.
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre and state of Manipur, told the Court that
the government has nothing to hide. This court can monitor the investigation of the case.
Kapil sibal, appearing for the two victims, opposed the CBI probe and transfer the case to Assam.
SG Mehta, said that we have never requested for the case to be transferred to Assam. We have said that
the matter be transferred outside Manipur. We never said Assam.
Sibal agreed to it and said we are OK with it. The CJI led bench wanted to know from the SG Mehta that how many FIRs have been registered against the accused persons till date in such cases and violence.
He stressed that we also have to make some sort of a mechanism to see the broader issue of violence
against women. This mechanism should ensure that all such kind of cases are taken care of and appropriate measures must be taken.
Sibal argued that it is clear that the police were collaborating with the perpetrators of the violence.
While they sought protection of the police, they took them to the crowd abandoned the jeep and did this,
and how we depend on an agency to handle it,? The father and brother, of one of the victims, is allegedly killed by the perpetrators and we even don’t know that where these two dead bodies are now? “The state is there to protect the citizens,” Sibal said.
It is not the CBI and anybody else case and I don’t know how the Attorney and Solicitor will verify and supervise the Case,? Sibal said. The state and Centre is completely unaware till today as to how many
FIRs have been registered so far, this says everything about the sad state of affair in the case, Sibal said.
SG Mehta reiterated that the central government shares the concern of Mr Sibal. Govt of India has no objection to the Supreme court monitoring the investigation of the case.
This shows the transparency in the case. During the course of the hearing, the CJI observed that right away the perpetrators have to be arrested immediately.
