Apex court stresses victims’ faith in justice system, orders legal aid in Manipuri; hears CBI plea against bail to two accused in gang-rape case linked to 2023 clashes
Edited by: Kimbawinu Vaiphei, Kukiland Express Desk
New Delhi, May 27, 2026
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said trials linked to the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence between Kuki and Meitei communities must be expedited and directed authorities to file a fresh status report on the cases.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the victims’ faith in the justice system was of key importance and stressed the need for confidence-building measures.
“We are of the view that the ongoing trial needs to be expedited. We have asked the CBI and others to provide legal aid counsel who are well-versed in Manipuri to counsel the victims,” the bench said.
According to reports before the bench, the Special Investigation Team has filed chargesheets in 207 cases against more than 400 accused persons. The CBI informed the court that it has filed 20 chargesheets and trials have already commenced in 16 cases.
The bench was hearing a CBI plea against bail granted by the Gauhati High Court on September 8, 2025, to two accused, Arun Khundongbam and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei. The case relates to the alleged gang-rape and public parading of women during the violence.
The High Court had observed that the accused had spent two years in custody while charges were yet to be framed. “While the accusations here are grave and shocking, this court cannot overlook that indefinite detention without trial amounts to pretrial punishment, which is impermissible in law,” the High Court had said.
During Wednesday’s hearing, advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for some victims, argued that the same court had earlier acknowledged the heinous nature of the offences before granting bail on grounds of delay.
The Supreme Court also noted a report filed by former IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar, which described the law and order situation in Manipur as “precarious” in April this year, with incidents of violence continuing and the state police remaining under stress.
The ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. More than 260 people were killed and thousands displaced in the clashes.
Edited By: Elvish Haokip
Kukiland Express Desk
