उच्चतम न्यायालय (Supreme Court) ने मणिपुर के मुख्य सचिव को राहत शिविरों में हुई 25 अप्राकृतिक मौतों (unnatural deaths), पोस्टमार्टम में देरी और कम पीड़ित मुआवजे पर एक विस्तृत स्थिति रिपोर्ट जमा करने का निर्देश दिया है।
NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court of India has directed the Chief Secretary of Manipur to submit a detailed status report addressing allegations of 25 unnatural deaths occurring within relief camps established for internally displaced persons (IDPs) following the 2023 Manipur ethnic clashes.
A three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana issued the directions during a hearing on a batch of petitions seeking monitoring of relief, rehabilitation, and criminal investigations connected to the state's ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Key Highlights of the Proceedings
- Scrutiny Over Unnatural Deaths and Post-Mortems
The Supreme Court took note of findings highlighted by the Justice Gita Mittal Committee—a court-appointed panel monitoring relief efforts—and separate reports detailing deaths across camp facilities. The records presented before the court referenced hundreds of casualties across eight districts, pointing specifically to 25 unnatural deaths, including an incident allegedly involving sexual assault.
The Bench expressed sharp concern over procedural delays, observing that post-mortem examinations had reportedly been performed in only 20 of these cases. Seeking accountability, Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the Manipur State Government to explain why medical autopsies were not conducted in every instance of unnatural death and ordered the production of all post-mortem records identifying exact causes of death. - Discrepancies in Victim Compensation
The Court questioned state authorities regarding the low compensation amounts disbursed to affected families. Reports submitted to the Bench indicated that families of individuals who died under unnatural circumstances in the camps received sums ranging between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000. The Bench noted that these payouts fell significantly short of standard statutory compensation schemes, which contemplate financial aid between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh for victims of violent conflict. - Mandate to Manipur Legal Services Authority
To ensure administrative accountability, the Supreme Court directed the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) to intervene directly. MSLSA has been tasked with:- Ensuring formal First Information Reports (FIRs) are registered for every instance of unnatural death across relief camps.
- Verifying that medical causes of death are properly established.
- Expediting pending investigations and assessing camp conditions to safeguard the dignity, physical security, basic day-to-day necessities, and medical requirements of displaced residents.
Status of Criminal Probes and Judicial Infrastructure
Special Investigation Teams (SITs) and CBI Progress
The Bench received updated status reports regarding ongoing criminal prosecutions from Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati:
- State Level: A total of 42 Special Investigation Teams constituted across eight districts have handled over 3,000 cases. Chargesheets have been submitted in 302 cases, while closure reports were filed in 1,583 matters. Over 1,100 cases remain under active investigation, with trials commencing in over 30 matters.
- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): In probes supervised by former Maharashtra DGP Dattatray Padsalgikar, the CBI has concluded investigations in 28 cases. However, the Bench observed that out of 978 cited prosecution witnesses, only 6 have been examined in court so far, while 38 accused persons remain in custody.
Expediting Trials and Special Courts
To address procedural bottlenecks arising from trial proceedings conducted via the Special CBI Court in Guwahati, Assam, the Supreme Court discussed structural mechanisms to fast-track hearings. The CJI observed that the High Court would be requested to oversee progress and highlighted a proposal to establish additional designated trial courts—including two special National Investigation Agency (NIA) courts in Assam—to ease judicial backlog and enable dedicated daily hearings for Manipur violence cases.
Background
Ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur in May 2023 following demonstrations against proposals regarding Scheduled Tribe status adjustments. The resulting conflict led to widespread displacement, placing thousands of residents in temporary relief shelters across the state. The Supreme Court continues to monitor state action concerning safety, camp infrastructure, and justice administration.
Description: NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court of India directed Manipur’s Chief Secretary to submit a comprehensive status report on 25 unnatural deaths reported in relief camps hosting individuals displaced by the 2023 ethnic violence.
A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, scrutinised procedural lapses, highlighting that post-mortems were performed in only 20 cases. The Court questioned why victim compensation ranged between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000, significantly below standard ₹5–10 lakh statutory norms.
The Manipur State Legal Services Authority was directed to ensure registration of FIRs for all unnatural deaths. Additionally, the Court reviewed updates from 42 SITs and the CBI, proposing dedicated special courts to fast-track trials.