Manipur viral video survivors move fresh plea in Supreme Court, hearing today

The women who were paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Manipur have approached the Supreme Court with a fresh petition related to the viral video of their ordeal.

The survivors have filed a separate application in connection with the FIR related to the May 4 sexual assault incident, along with their plea for protection of their identity.

The development comes as the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud-led bench is set to peruse the reply of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today, July 31.

Last week, the home ministry told the Supreme Court that the probe into the case of the two women being paraded naked in Manipur has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI has now formally taken over the case and lodged an FIR.

The MHA, in an affidavit filed through its Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, also urged the top court to transfer the trial in the case outside Manipur for its conclusion in a time-bound manner. Seven people have been arrested in the case so far.

The sexual assault of the two women came to light on June 19 after a video of the incident went viral online. Police had registered a case of abduction, gangrape and murder at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district and seven people have been arrested in connection with the matter.

The top court took note of the incident on July 20 and said it was “deeply disturbed” by the video and the use of women as instruments for perpetrating violence was “simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy”.

CJI Chandrachud had directed the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative and preventive steps, and apprise the top court of the action taken.