New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI): The Supreme Court on Monday constituted a high-powered committee of retired high court judges to monitor the investigations into the ethnic clashes in Manipur.
A bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, passed the order.
The team of retired High Court Judges includes; Geeta Mittal, Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon to oversee measures for relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding homes, the Apex Court said, in its order.
A detailed order is expected to be uploaded on the Supreme Court website. The Apex Court said all adequate security should be provided for the committee headed by Justice (retd) Mittal.
On the investigation of the cases of rape and sexual assault, the Top Court directed that there shall be five officers of at least Deputy SP rank who will be brought into the CBI from various states, the Top Court said, in its order.
These officers will also be functioning within the four corners of the infrastructure and administrative structure of the CBI, it said.
The State government is handling the situation at a very mature level, and we are keeping a close look at the situation. We are very concerned, the Attorney General (AG), R Venkataramani, the country’s top law officer, told the CJI-led bench.
The state government told the Apex Court that all 12 FIRs involving crime against women will go to CBI.
Eight SITs of local state police, to be headed by an SP-level officer, will be formed to probe other FIRs. DIG & DGP level officers will supervise these investigations, the government told the top court.
The CJI made it clear that we are doing so, to ensure faith, confidence, belief and trust.
The Supreme Court said although the detailed order will come in the evening, it said that it will constitute a panel of three former High Court judges to look into relief and rehabilitation measures.
It also said that the CBI teams to have officers from outside Manipur to probe the case.
It also said that DIG rank officers from outside Manipur would oversee SITs, the CJI said, and added that the former police officer will be Dattatray Padsalgikar, with whom he had spoken to him in the morning, will probe the case.
Ethnic clashes between Kukis and Meiteis broke out in Manipur on May 3, and have been continuing for the last three months, claiming over 160 lives.
