Zero tolerance towards crime against women: Govt in Supreme Court on Manipur video

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, July 27

On the eve of the hearing on videos of violence against women in Manipur, the Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it had “zero tolerance towards any crime against women”.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it wanted deterrent punishment for the culprits.

CBI to probe case

The Centre said it had decided to entrust the probe into the sexual assault to the CBI

The MHA told the top court that with the consent of the Manipur Government, it had taken a decision to entrust the probe into the video of sexual assault on two women to the CBI. It urged the top court to transfer the case to another state and order completion of trial within six months from the date of filing of a chargesheet.

What affidavit says

• Transfer case to another state
• Complete trial in six months from date of filing chargesheet
• Offences like those captured in the video are ‘too heinous’
• Justice should be seen to be done so that it turns deterrent
• Victims being given psychological support by all-woman team

The affidavit said the Centre considered the offences such as those captured in the video that had gone viral to be “too heinous”. It said justice should be seen to be done so that it had a deterrent effect throughout the nation with respect to crimes against women. A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud, which had on July 20 taken suo motu cognisance of a video of two women being paraded naked in Manipur will consider the MHA affidavit on Friday.

what SC had said

The video may be from month of May, but that does not make any difference… We will give a little time to the government… If it doesn’t act, we will.

The affidavit said the victims were being extended psychological support by an all-woman team and they were being given proper medical and legal help.

Taking suo motu cognisance of videos of two women allegedly being paraded naked in ethnic-violence-hit Manipur, the Supreme Court on July 20 asked the Centre and the state government to inform it about the action taken against the perpetrators.

600 Meiteis flee Mizoram

From Mizoram, more than 600 Meiteis have left the state fearing attacks after protests over the viral Manipur video, police officials said. A police official said more than 600 Meiteis had left for their home states till Tuesday, but there was no report of anyone leaving since Wednesday.

“The Court is deeply disturbed by the visuals which have appeared in the media depicting the perpetration of sexual assault and violence on women in Manipur. What is portrayed in the media would indicate gross constitutional violations and infractions of human rights. Using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy,” it had said.

“The video may be from the month of May, but that does not make any difference… We will give a little time to the government…If the government does not act, we will,” the Bench had noted.