New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the CBI to await the outcome of the court hearing, scheduled later in the day, before it records the statements of the Manipuri women, who were victims in the viral video case.
Advocate Nizam Pasha informed a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud that the CBI is about to record statements of the survivors by noon and they should wait for the hearing on the matter today.
The Chief Justice asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ask the central agency officials to wait, as the court is scheduled to take up the matter at 2 pm today. Mehta said he will inform the CBI officials and added that they must have gone in good faith.
On Monday, the top court indicated the setting up of a panel to record the statements of the survivors and also considering a plea for setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The Supreme Court had questioned the counsel, representing the Centre and Manipur government, why did the Manipur police take 14 days to register an FIR in connection with women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in strife-torn state. The Chief Justice said this incident is not like the Nirbhaya case, but “here we are dealing with systemic acts of violence which are being perpetrated in the course of communal or sectarian strife”.
The victims, in their pleas, have requested that their identities be protected and sought a probe led by an independent SIT headed by an IG-rank police officer, and the transfer of the trial outside the state.
Also read- 'Unprecedented magnitude, can’t excuse what is taking place in Manipur': SC
