New Delhi: The Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to suspend the recording of statements from the tribal women victims in the Manipur viral video case until the main case is heard at 2 pm today. The court, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to communicate this order to the CBI, urging them to await the outcome of today's hearing.
The decision came after advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the Kuki side, informed the court that the CBI was preparing to record the statements at noon on the same day. Chief Justice Chandrachud instructed the CBI to hold off on recording the statements until the conclusion of today's hearing.
While Solicitor General Mehta clarified that the CBI's intentions were in good faith, he assured the court that he would convey the order to refrain from recording the statements.
The day before, the Supreme Court had hinted at forming a panel to record the survivors' statements and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. In response, the women victims filed a plea yesterday, opposing the CBI's investigation and seeking security for themselves. They also requested that their statements be recorded under Section 164 of CrPC by the nearest area magistrate. Additionally, they urged for the case to be investigated by an SIT under the court's supervision.
Earlier, the State had requested a CBI investigation into the May 4 incident, and the Centre ordered the same, along with a demand to transfer the trial outside Manipur and complete it within six months.
The bench will also address pleas from victims who were paraded naked, along with various petitions related to the ongoing ethnic violence in the State since May.
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