The viral Manipur video case, which featured two Kuki Zo women being paraded naked by a group of Meitei men, has been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation. The Indian government's action follows the Opposition's filing of a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Friday, the Indian government asked the Supreme Court of India to move the Manipur violence case trial outside of the state.
Additionally, the Centre asked the supreme court to mandate that the trial in every case involving violence in Manipur, including the gang-rape case, be finished within six months.
On July 26, the Manipur administration, led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, suggested that the CBI look into the crime. Amit Shah, the Union Minister in charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs, also suggested on July 27 that the CBI look into the Manipur viral video case.
The Center is handling the case with the utmost seriousness, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla stated in a message to the court.
So far, seven people have been taken into custody in this investigation.
On July 20, the supreme court took notice of the incident and expressed its "deeply disturbed" response to the video, noting that it was "simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy" to use women as weapons of violence.
The Centre and the Manipur government were given a directive by a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud to take urgent corrective, rehabilitative, and preventive action, and to inform the bench of the action taken.
In a statement, the central government stated that it had "zero tolerance" for any crimes against women. "Justice should be seen to be done so that it has a deterrent effect throughout the nation with respect to crimes against women," it said. "The central government considers the present one to be too heinous and deserve to be taken not only with the seriousness it deserves but also to be seen to be done."
This is one of the reasons the Center, with the state government's approval, decided to submit the probe to the CBI, an impartial investigating agency, the affidavit stated.
On July 28, the bench will hear arguments about the ethnic violence in Manipur.
After a 4 May video leaked last week showing two women from one of the warring factions being paraded naked by a few men from the opposing side, tension increased in the hills of Manipur.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum had scheduled a planned protest march to draw attention to their predicament, and the film was making the rounds just before it.
