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Synopsis

The Supreme Court today provided a clarification on its earlier order whereby it had allowed trial in cases being probed by Central Bureau of Investigation, relating to Manipur Violence, to be conducted in Assam.

"We are not asking the victims to go to Assam, the evidence will be recorded in Manipur only..", the Court had further ordered on August 25, 2023.

A query was posed today on this order, asking if a Magistrate in Manipur had to record the statement, or the one in Assam will do it virtually.

CJI DY Chandrachud provided clarification stating, "It can be recorded by the Magistrate in Manipur and the witness will sign it. It can then be sent to Assam. The 164 CrPC statement once recorded in Manipur, the digital record shall be remitted to Assam."

Further, a query was posed on the conduction of Test Identification Parade.

To this, the bench also comprising Justices Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said, "Same thing to be done for TIP also. The local Magistrate shall perform the supervisory role."

The Supreme Court further added that if the victims or witness were outside the state of Manipur, the statement shall be recorded by the jurisdictional Magistrate of the place where such victim or witness is temporarily residing.

Earlier this month, an order was passed seeking a report from the State of Manipur on the action taken by it against the looting of arms during the days when violence in Manipur was amok.

Recently, the committee consisting of former women High Court judges, namely, Justice Gita Mittal, Justice Shalini Joshi and Justice Asha Menon, formed by the Supreme Court of India to look into diverse aspects of humanitarian nature such as rehabilitation, restoration etc in violence-stricken Manipur had submitted three reports before it.

On August 7, the top court had appointed said committee, headed by Justice Mittal to look into aspects like relief, remedial measures, rehabilitation, restoration of homes and religious places etc.

Court had further appointed former IPS officer, Dattatray Padsalgikar, who has wide experience to oversee the investigation by CBI.

Case Title: DINGANGLUNG GANGMEI vs. MUTUM CHURAMANI MEETEI & ORS.