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Synopsis

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 has submitted three reports before it.

A CJI Chandrachud led bench took the reports on record today and asked SG Tushar Mehta to provide some assistance on the same.

The three reports submitted by the committee are as follows:

1. First is a report highlighting the fact that several residents of manipur have lost their documentation and need to be provided with the same.
2. Second is on the Manipur victims compensation scheme, stating that same is to be brought in conformity with the NALSA scheme, and
3. The third is a proposal of the committee for appointment of domain experts to help in their work.

"Soft copies of the report to be shared with all Advocates concerned and SG Mehta. Certain procedural directions shall be required to assist the committee. We have requested the AG of Manipur and Advocate Vrinda Grover to prepare proposed procedural directions by Thursday.", ordered the bench also comprising Justices Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The matter will now be heard on Friday.

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.

A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra had further appointed former IPS officer, Dattatray Padsalgikar, who has wide experience to oversee the investigation by CBI.

"...on the 16 FIRs relating to sexual offences to be transferred to CBI..what we propose to do is that, we are not going to supplant CBI, at the same time to make sure there is sense of faith..we are proposing to direct that there shall be 5 officers at least of Dy. SP rank from various states, who will be brought from different states on deputation to CBI to oversee these investigations...", the bench had further ordered.

In July, the Supreme Court had called out the Manipur state's police forces for carrying out a tardy investigation into the various incidents of violence that occurred throughout the state in the past two months.

Court had further observed that the police has not been in charge of the situation for the last two months and no law and order has been maintained by them.

Notably, Supreme Court had said earlier that merely handing over the probe into the incident of sexual assault and violence on two women in violence-hit Manipur, to the CBI was not enough. 

"..we have to rebuild lives now..so what better way than having some objective assistance of a court trusted committee..not just the state government..we have to instill confidence now in the people", the court had observed.

The Union government in July had informed the Supreme Court that the "unfortunate and unacceptable" incident of sexual assault and violence on two women in violence-hit Manipur, has been transferred to the CBI.

It had also requested the apex court to transfer the trial in the case outside Manipur with a direction that the trial should be conducted in a time bound manner within six months after the filing of the chargesheet.

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