NEW DELHI: In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India conducted hearings on Monday concerning the Manipur Viral video case that has sent shockwaves across the nation. This distressing video portrayed two Kuki Zo women being paraded naked by a mob of Meitei men.
The incident of sexual harassment, which allegedly occurred on May 4, only gained public attention in July, igniting widespread outrage. Accusations were leveled against the Manipur authorities, alleging that both the Manipur Police and the Chief Minister N Biren Singh-led Manipur Government had been slow to take appropriate action.
The case has now become a contentious point of debate between the Opposition INDIA bloc and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, each accusing the other of evading discussions on crimes against women in both BJP and non-BJP ruled states.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra heard the case in the Supreme Court on Monday.
The Supreme Court acknowledged the significance of the Manipur Viral Video case and called for expedited action to address the ethnic violence crimes that have plagued Manipur.
Furthermore, the Court demanded that both the Central and state governments provide updates on the number of arrests made in connection with the viral video case. It expressed its preference for the case not to be handled solely by the Manipur Police.
In light of the disturbing incident, the apex court emphasized the need for a comprehensive mechanism to combat violence against women and requested information on several crucial aspects:
1. Break-up of cases, from the 6,000 FIRs filed, 2.-How many of them are zero FIRs, 3. -How many transferred to jurisdiction Police Station, 4. How many people have been arrested so far., 5. -Status of legal aid to the arrested accused, 6. How many Section 164 statements recorded so far.
To sum up, the Supreme Court of India hears pleas on the Manipur Viral video case involving the parade of two Kuki Zo women, demands action on violence in Manipur, and seeks updates on arrests and measures against violence towards women in the state.
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