Shruti Suman
The Supreme Court severely criticized the Manipur government for its handling of the ethnic violence in the state, stating that there has been a complete breakdown of law and order. During the hearing, the Court expressed its dismay at the sluggish investigation conducted by the Manipur police and the lack of timely registration of FIRs (First Information Reports).
The Court was shocked to learn that FIRs were not filed for nearly three months after the incidents occurred, and only a small number of arrests have been made despite over 6,000 FIRs being registered. The Court summoned the Manipur Director General of Police to personally appear before it to explain the situation.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented a status report, revealing that 6,523 FIRs were filed in connection with the violence, including 11 cases related to crimes against women and children.
The Supreme Court made several key observations during the hearing, highlighting the substantial delay in filing FIRs and the inadequacy of the investigation. It pointed out the long gaps between the occurrence of incidents, registration of FIRs, recording of witness statements, and the scarcity of arrests. The Court sought answers from the government on the status of “zero” FIRs, the conversion of such FIRs into regular ones, and the timeline of arrests in cases involving sexual violence.
The Court was particularly concerned about an incident in which a woman was dragged out of a car and her son was lynched to death. It also expressed dissatisfaction with the overall performance of the state police, stating that they appeared incapable of conducting a proper investigation and had lost control, leading to a lack of law and order.
The Court raised questions about whether the police officers who allegedly handed over women to the mob had been interrogated and demanded accountability from the Manipur Director General of Police. It concluded that the state police seemed either incapable or uninterested in handling the situation effectively, as performative arrests had been made but true control over the situation was lacking.
