Supreme Court wants bifurcation of 6000 cases; how many places of worship attacked?

 "By citing other states, we can't justify Manipur violence," says CJI Chandrachud

New Delhi

"Are you saying protect all daughters of India or don't protect anyone?", CJI asked, almost snubbing the alleged attempts to link Manipur violence or crime against women with such crimes in opposition-ruled West Bengal and Rajasthan. 

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the embarrassed Manipur government headed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh to come back Aug 1, Tuesday at 2 pm with details of FIRs filed since May 3, arrests made, and action taken on the Manipur situation.

The Court called for evolving a broad mechanism to deal with violence against women in strife-torn Manipur and asked how many FIRs have been registered in such incidents in the state since May.

None other than Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud posed a few tough questions for the central government's legal team including Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. 

At one point Mr Venkataramani also told the court, “I will personally monitor the CBI probe.  That's the kind of assurance I am ready to make". Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, however, opposed the CBI probe and favoured a SIT.

A series of tough questions from CJI included, "We have to ask this - how many such FIRs have been filed since the May 3rd?

"We need to know bifurcation of 6000 FIRs, how many zero FIRs, how many forwarded to jurisdictional magistrate, action taken, how many in judicial custody?".

At one point the CJI said, "You also said there are about 6000 FIRs. What is the bifurcation? How many involve offences against women? How many involve other serious offences murder, arson, burning down houses?".

He even wanted to know what is the bifurcation between offences against the body, offences against properties, offences against places of worship?

The CJI further asserted, "We are dealing with something of unprecedented magnitude of violence against women in communal and sectarian violence. It cannot be gainsaid that crimes are happening against women and in Bengal also. But here the case is different. We cannot justify what happened in Manipur by saying that this and this happened elsewhere".

The top court had last week taken suo motu cognisance of a video that emerged online recently, in which two women belonging to Kuki tribe were seen paraded naked and being molested.

The bench was on Monday hearing a batch of pleas filed regarding the outbreak of violence in Manipur including the plea by two women from the Kuki tribe who were paraded naked by a mob of men.

Namo in North East 

Advocate Bansuri Swaraj appearing in an intervention application, asked the Court to take up similar incidents from West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, sources said.

The Centre also told the SC that it has no objection if the apex court monitors the investigation into the Manipur violence.

Two women survivors of the assault opposed the CBI probe and transfer of trial to Assam. The Centre clarified it's only for the SC to decide where the trial should occur and that the Centre hasn't chosen any state.

“The viral video case isn't the only incident of violence against women in the state. There must be a wider mechanism in place to prevent such incidents and take action,” the SC said.

Advocate Kapil Sibal said, “We want a court-monitored SIT instead of the CBI.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “The Centre has no objection if the Supreme Court monitors the CBI probe.”

Advocate Vrinda Grover appearing for 'Women in Governance India' claimed that there is targeted violence against the Kuki women. to which the SG objected.

The Supreme Court pulled up the Manipur police over time taken to register a zero FIR in the case. 

The court said there can't be any justification for not registering a zero FIR and asked what stopped them from registering an FIR for 14 days.

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Box: Judiciary's teeth: Strong one liners 

CJI DY Chandrachud: We have to ask this- how many such FIRs have been filed since the 3rd?

We need to know bifurcation of 6000 FIRs, how many zero FIRs, how many forwarded to jurisdictional magistrate, action taken, how many in judicial custody? - CJI

This video is not the only assault on women. Number of other such incidents...so this is not an isolated incident. "You also said there are about 6000 FIRs. What is the bifurcation? How many involve offences against women? 

How many....offences against properties, offences against places of worship?"

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Mizo CM in veiled missive joins issue with Biren Singh, flays 'mob lynching'

New Delhi/Aizawl

"I accept that I may occasionally be the subject of mockery and criticism.....However, incidents (like arresting someone for expressing dissent towards the government) will not happen in Mizoram," veteran Mizo leader and Chief Minister Zoramthanga said in his Instagram handle.

His missive can be perhaps easily linked to recent outbursts from Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who said "involvement of a Chief Minister in a particular rally was not nice". 

"I respect him (Mr Zoramthanga) as a senior but he has gone beyond ethics. As a Chief Minister he should not interfere in other state's affairs," Biren Singh had said disapproving Mizoram Chief Minister's participation at a rally at Aizawl wherein speakers made a personal attack on Manipur Chief Minister.

Taking to his official Instagram handle, Zoramthanga posted a photo of one Hangmuanlai Vaiphei who was allegedly killed in a mob lynching attack when he was being taken from the High Court complex to central jail in Imphal.

Biren Singh had also criticised the European Union Parliament for discussing and passing comments on Manipur matters without having adequate knowledge of the ground situation.

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