The Supreme Court directed that victims and their families from 20 cases related to the Manipur Violence be provided with copies of the chargesheets and legal aid counsel for their trials now in Guwahati. During a hearing, the Chief Justice and Justices noted that victims were unaware of the status of investigations, particularly in cases of sexual violence that arose from the Manipur ethnic crisis. The Court had previously assigned certain cases to the CBI and set up Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to supervise ongoing investigations. Additionally, the Court mandated that local-language lawyers be appointed to assist victims and their families, and it authorized travel and accommodation expenses for them to participate in the trial.
It emphasized that copies of chargesheets must be made available to victims’ families who might not know about them as judicial proceedings have moved out of Manipur. The Court initiated measures for victims to provide statements virtually, reducing the need for travel for depositions. As of February 2026, chargesheets have been filed in 20 out of 31 transferred cases, with the remaining 6 cases required to be investigated within six months. The Court tasked the monitoring officer, Padsalgikar, with ensuring timely completion of investigations and adherence to the imposed deadlines, stating that similar procedures would apply to any further chargesheets filed.
