New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear today two pleas centring the harrowing video showing two women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.NDTV has reported that the two women in the video have filed petitions in the apex court against the Union and the Manipur government, requesting that the court order a fair and impartial inquiry into the case. The court will hear their plea today.The Union government, in addition to requesting for the transfer of the case, has also sought an order from the apex court that the investigation be completed in six months. This plea too will be heard by the apex court today.The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into the case. The incident occurred months ago, on May 4. However, it was only after the video was circulated and outrage boiled over that arrests began to be made in the case.The first arrest was announced by Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh, who claimed the state police had taken “suo motu” recognition of the case. However, an FIR had already been registered in the case earlier in June.The apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the case and on July 20 asked the Manipur government to inform it of the steps taken to bring the perpetrators into law.“The court is deeply disturbed by the visuals of the video which surfaced yesterday on the perpetration of sexual violence of women in Manipur. We are of the view that the court must be apprised of the steps taken by the government to hold the perpetrators accountable and that such instances are not repeated. The visuals which are portrayed in the media reflects gross constitutional infraction. Using women as an instrument to perpetrate violence in a charged atmosphere is simply unacceptable,” the CJI had said.
