In response to the outbreak of violence in the state of Manipur and the need for a thorough and impartial investigation, the Supreme Court of India has constituted a three-member all-women judicial committee. The committee will be headed by former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Gita Mittal. The other members of the committee include former judges, Justices Shalini Joshi and Asha Menon.
The primary objective of the committee is to examine the ongoing investigations being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Manipur Police in relation to various incidents of violence in the state. The committee’s responsibilities will be broad-based and will extend to suggesting remedial measures, compensation, and rehabilitation for the victims, among other related matters.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, clarified that the all-women judicial committee will not replace the CBI but will function alongside it to ensure confidence in the rule of law. The court emphasized the importance of restoring faith in the justice system and ensuring a fair and transparent investigation.
The Supreme Court also appointed former Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer, Dattatray Padsalgikar, to oversee the investigation by the CBI and other investigating agencies. Padsalgikar will be responsible for providing an additional layer of supervision and reporting back to the court.
Both the all-women judicial committee and Dattatray Padsalgikar are required to submit separate reports before the Supreme Court.
Notably, the court refused to transfer the trial of the cases to a state outside of Manipur. It also clarified that it is not casting any aspersions on the CBI but is taking steps to ensure the proper functioning of the investigative process.
During the hearing, the court highlighted the need for a clear investigation hierarchy for both the CBI and State Special Investigation Teams (SITs). For the CBI, the court proposed the appointment of five officers of at least Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) rank, who will be brought in from different states and supervised by the Joint Director of the CBI.
As for the State SITs, the court ordered the formation of 42 teams, with each team supervised by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank officer from outside Manipur. One inspector from each state will be brought in by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to be part of these SITs, ensuring external oversight.
The Supreme Court’s intervention came after a video of two women from the Kuki-Zomi community being paraded naked and molested by a mob of men went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. The incident exposed apparent failures in the law and order machinery in Manipur, leading to the suo motu registration of a case by the apex court.
The court will continue to monitor the progress of investigations closely, with weekly and fortnightly updates. Various counsel representing petitioners and applicants also expressed concerns over the fairness and impartiality of the investigation.
Senior Advocate Indira Jaising and Advocate Vrinda Grover emphasized the need to ensure a fair probe into cases of violence and rape. Advocate Vishal Tiwari and Advocate Nizam Pasha sought the formation of an SIT overseen by a court-appointed committee of judges to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan highlighted the importance of inquiring into potential state involvement in incidents where arms and ammunition were looted from the state armory, while Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves stressed the necessity of identifying the core ring leaders of the riots to prevent further assaults.