SC halts CBI from recording victim’s statement in Manipur viral video case

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud-led bench instructs Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to direct the CBI to await today's hearing's outcome.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to put on hold the recording of the statement of the tribal women victims in the Manipur viral video case till it hears the main case today at 2 pm.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to convey to the CBI to await the outcome of today’s hearing. The apex court asked the CBI to wait for further order before going ahead with the recording of the statement after an advocate Nizam Pasha appearing for the Kuki side informed the court that CBI was on its way to record the statement at noon today.

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“Ask the CBI to wait till the outcome of today’s hearing,” the CJI said. Solicitor General said it was done in good faith but he will convey to the CBI to refrain from recording the statement.

On Monday, the top court post indicated setting up a panel to record the statements of the survivors and a Special Investigation Team to probe the case. The women victims have also filed a plea in the top court yesterday against the CBI probe into their case and sought security for them and also prayed for a direction to record their statement under Section 164 of CrPC by the nearest area magistrate.

They also sought a probe into their case by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the monitoring of the top court. At the request of the State, the Centre has already ordered a CBI probe into the May 4 incident and asked the court to transfer the trial outside Manipur with a mandate to complete the trial in six months.

The bench will hear today’s plea of victims who were paraded naked and a batch of petitions relating to the ethnic violence which has been going on in the State since May.