Supreme Court proposes special courts for Manipur violence cases, seeks faster investigations
The Supreme Court has proposed special courts for day-to-day trials in Manipur violence cases and sought faster investigations. It also ordered that victims receive chargesheets promptly and asked for fresh status reports on pending cases.
Supreme Court
- Jul 24, 2026,
- Updated Jul 24, 2026, 12:12 PM IST
- Victims' families had not received CBI and SIT chargesheet copies
- Court ordered agencies to provide the documents within one week
- Case data will guide how many dedicated trial courts are needed
The Supreme Court on July 24 proposed the establishment of special courts to conduct day-to-day trials in criminal cases linked to the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, while directing investigating agencies to speed up pending probes and ensure that victims receive copies of chargesheets.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a batch of petitions related to the violence when it noted that several victims and their families had not yet been provided copies of chargesheets filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Manipur Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The court allowed legal aid counsel representing the victims to approach the offices of the Chief Justices of the Gauhati High Court and the Manipur High Court to obtain the chargesheets. It directed the CBI and the SIT to provide the documents within one week.
The bench also asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Manipur government, the SIT and the CBI, to submit details of cases in which investigations have been completed and chargesheets filed, along with information on cases where investigations are still pending.
The court said the data would help determine the number of special courts required to ensure speedy trials in the violence-related cases.
It further directed the Manipur High Court to examine cases involving 30 people reported missing following the outbreak of ethnic violence.
The CBI, the state SIT and the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee headed by former Maharashtra Director General of Police Dattatray Padsalgikar have also been asked to file fresh status reports on the progress of the investigations.
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised in the hill districts to oppose the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The conflict has since claimed more than 200 lives, left hundreds injured and displaced thousands of people.
