A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court for an independent expert committee under the leadership of a former judge of the top court to inquire into ‘paraded naked women viral video’ of Manipur.
An advocate, Vishal Tiwari, filed the PIL and also sought a direction for CBI to initiate an investigation with respect to the ongoing violence in the Northeastern state.
The advocate stated that there has been a violation of the rule of law and the constitutional philosophies of India with no resource to justice. Various districts of Manipur have reported violence and arson including Churachandpur, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi. Cases of sexual violence, assaults over women rape, molestation, firing, bomb shelling riots have taken front seat in Manipur with no involvement of prevention and correction from law enforcement agencies in Manipur, the advocate stated.
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The petition has been filed under Article 32 of the constitution against ‘the violation of the rule of law and the oppressive brutality, chaos and anarchy being perpetrated in the beloved land of Manipur, in the name of public rights and interest against the negligent government project’.
It may be mentioned that a bench headed by justice DY Chandrachud took suo-moto cognizance of the viral video and asked the central and state governments to file comprehensive affidavits detailing the steps taken to hold the perpetrators of the sexual assault depicted in the video accountable and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Advocate clarified that his PIL petition has been filed to ‘assist the SC and to provide facts and suggestion’.
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The petitioner has accused both the union and the state government of inaction with respect to the violence in Manipur over a high court order directing the state government to consider granting the majority Meitei community ‘Scheduled Tribe’ status.
“Foreign international for a, like European parliament, has tabled the matter for discussion”, the petitioner stated, adding that the Indian sovereign machinery has been silent in this regard. Neither the central nor the state government has taken any preventive and corrective measures.
Further, the petitioner has sought the issuance of a writ of mandamus dereliction of duty by the state agencies for not mandatory registering a first information report under section 154 CrPC, 1973.
