New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Manipur and Assam governments to consider setting up two special courts to hear cases related to the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, said one court could deal exclusively with cases investigated by the CBI, while the other could handle NIA cases.
The court also asked authorities to prepare details of all cases in which chargesheets have been filed. It said victims, their families and their lawyers should be able to access information about the cases and their progress.
The court has asked the registrar general of the concerned High Court to submit a report on the proposed special courts before the next hearing.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said the CBI has investigated 31 cases linked to the violence. Chargesheets have been filed in 22 cases, five cases have ended with closure reports, and four are still under investigation. Courts have taken up 20 of the 22 chargesheeted cases.
The NIA, which is investigating 30 cases, has filed chargesheets in 15 cases. Charges have already been framed in seven of them. Of these cases, eight are before courts in Manipur, five in Gauhati and two in Delhi.
Senior advocate Vrinda Grover told the court that victims and their families were facing difficulties in getting access to case-status reports and chargesheets.
The Supreme Court directed the authorities to ensure proper coordination between the Manipur government, central agencies and security forces so that investigations can continue smoothly. It also stressed the need to ensure the safety of people, including students.
The ethnic violence in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, and has claimed more than 200 lives, besides leaving thousands of people displaced.