Centre ask CBI to probe Manipur viral video, says it has zero tolerance towards crimes against women

Centre also requested the Supreme Court to direct the trial to be conducted outside Manipur

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will investigate the viral video wherein two women were paraded naked by a mob in trouble-torn Manipur on May 4, 2023.

In an affidavit presented by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to the Supreme Court on Thursday, the government said it had a “zero-tolerance policy” towards crimes against women and that justice should be delivered “so that it has a deterrent effect throughout the nation with respect to crimes against women”.

The Centre also requested the Supreme Court to direct the trial to be conducted outside Manipur and underlined that the trial should be conducted in a time-bound manner.

According to the affidavit, the Manipur government recommended on May 26 that the probe be transferred to the CBI, and on July 27 the MHA had approved the suggestion and referred it to the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training.

So far seven people have been arrested in connection with the case and are in police custody for further examination.

Centre stated that regarding the incident of sexual assault and violence on two women, the Union Home Ministry has been continuously monitoring developments of the case after it came to light.

“The Central Government, therefore, makes a specific request that the entire case including trial of the offence in question, be ordered to be transferred by this Court to any State outside the State of Manipur. The power to transfer the case/trial outside any State is only with this Court and therefore, the Central government is making this request to this Court to pass such an order with a further direction to conclude the trial within a period of six months from the date of the filing of chargesheet by the CBI,” Centre added in its affidavit.

The Manipur video and the situation in the state has held Parliament, hostage. Since the Monsoon Session started on July 20, the Parliament has been in a limbo with the Opposition demanding a discussion on the Manipur situation and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House. The Opposition’s constant sloganeering and protests inside and outside the Parliament has forced the Chairs of both the Houses to constantly keep adjourning the Houses.

Now the Opposition pushed for a no-confidence motion against the government, which Speaker Om Birla has approved.

Opposition leaders said they know the numbers are on government’s side, but the aim of the motion, they said, was to compel the Prime Minister to speak on Manipur in the House, which would not have happened otherwise. MPs from the Opposition INDIA front will visit Manipur on Saturday and Sunday to assess the situation.

Also Read: Manipur Govt lifts ban on broadband internet services, mobile internet service continues to be suspended

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