Supreme Court asks Manipur chief secretary to probe relief camp deaths

The Supreme Court expressed shock over deaths in relief camps for internally displaced persons in Manipur and directed the chief secretary to file an affidavit on the cases. It also sought details on unnatural deaths, FIRs, investigations, compensation and camp safety

New Delhi:  Expressing shock over scores of deaths in relief camps meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Manipur chief secretary to apprise it of the steps taken to probe the deaths, initiate criminal proceedings and ensure the safety of those living there.

Cautioning the top bureaucrat of the State, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked why no significant steps had been taken on the information provided by the Justice Gita Mittal committee relating to deaths, including unnatural deaths, of IDPs in relief camps.

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“We direct the chief secretary of Manipur to file an affidavit on deaths, especially unnatural deaths, at relief camps in Manipur,” the bench said in its order, and asked why post-mortems were conducted in only 20 of the 34 death cases.

“The State is also obliged to explain as to why only Rs 20,000-30,000 as compensation was paid to internally displaced persons who met with unnatural deaths while sheltered in relief camps,” the bench said.

It also directed the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) to file a separate status report on the issue.

The CJI asked the MSLSA to ensure that FIRs are registered in all the unnatural death cases.

The bench also asked the MSLSA to ensure that the FIRs are investigated expeditiously and that the safety and dignity of internally displaced persons staying in relief camps are ensured.

The order came after the bench perused the reports of the Justice Mittal committee and an IAS officer, which stated that there had been more than 30 deaths in the relief camps in Manipur and that one of the deaths occurred following an alleged sexual assault.

Besides, the bench expressed hope that the two special trial courts, set up to exclusively hear CBI and NIA cases arising from the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, would conclude their trials expeditiously.

Referring to the reports, the bench said details of the cases had been provided to the legal services counsel and the petitioner-victims could avail themselves of them for pursuing their matters.

It also noted that the details were provided by the State government and Dattatray Padsalgikar, a former IPS officer who is monitoring the CBI probe into the Manipur violence cases.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the CBI and the State government, said the federal probe agency had investigated 31 cases, with final reports filed in 28.

She said three CBI cases were still being investigated.

Except for the CBI cases, the State constituted 42 SITs, comprising local police officers, in eight districts, the law officer said.

The SITs lodged 3,020 cases, and chargesheets have been filed in 302 matters, she said.

In 1,583 cases, the SITs have filed closure reports, while in 1,135 cases, the probe was underway, she said.

Trials have commenced in 33 cases probed by State SITs, she added.

Earlier, the top court had asked the Manipur and Assam governments and others to consider setting up two special trial courts to exclusively hear CBI and NIA cases arising from the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur.

The ethnic violence in Manipur broke out on May 3, 2023, following a tribal solidarity march organised in the hill districts to protest against the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the majority Meitei community.

More than 200 people have been killed, several hundred injured and thousands displaced since then.