New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Expressing deep concern over recurring fatalities inside relief facilities housing internally displaced persons in Manipur, the Supreme Court of India on Thursday ordered the state’s Chief Secretary to submit a detailed affidavit outlining investigative actions, criminal proceedings, and enhanced safety measures. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, questioned the state administration’s lack of decisive follow-up on findings submitted by the court-appointed Justice Gita Mittal Committee, which documented numerous deaths, including unnatural fatalities, across camps set up following the 2023 ethnic unrest.
The apex court raised sharp queries regarding medical and administrative oversight, asking why post-mortem examinations were carried out in only 20 out of 34 documented death cases. The Bench also criticized the state administration for providing nominal compensation ranging between 20,000 and 30,000 rupees to the next of kin of those who died unnaturally, demanding an explanation for the low figures. The directions came after the judges reviewed committee findings alongside an administrative report highlighting more than 30 camp fatalities, including one death that reportedly occurred following an alleged sexual assault.
To ensure judicial oversight, the Supreme Court directed the Manipur State Legal Services Authority to submit an independent status report and guarantee that First Information Reports are promptly lodged for every unnatural death. The Bench instructed the authority to ensure that all registered cases are investigated expeditiously, with strict measures in place to uphold the safety, security, and human dignity of displaced residents. The court also expressed confidence that the two dedicated trial courts designated to handle cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency will conduct proceedings swiftly.
Providing an enforcement update on behalf of the central agency and the provincial government, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that the CBI had investigated 31 matters, filing final reports in 28 while continuing inquiries into the remaining three. At the provincial level, 42 district-level Special Investigation Teams lodged 3,020 criminal cases, submitting charge sheets in 302 and filing closure reports in 1,583 instances, with 1,135 cases actively remaining under investigation. Monitoring data compiled by former police official Dattatray Padsalgikar and the state government has been shared with legal counsel to assist victim petitioners in pursuing their claims.
