Supreme Court Proposes Special Courts for Speedy Trial of Manipur Violence Cases, Directs CBI and SITs to Expedite Investigations

July 24, 2026 : The Supreme Court on Friday proposed the establishment of special courts to ensure the speedy trial of criminal cases arising out of the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur. The Court also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to complete pending investigations without unnecessary delay and file charge sheets at the earliest.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana observed that investigations into the violence-related cases had progressed slowly, resulting in significant delays in the criminal justice process. The Bench stated that, in consultation with the Governments of Manipur and the High Courts of Manipur and Gauhati, special courts could be constituted to conduct day-to-day trials once investigations are completed.

The Court clarified that these special courts would become operational only after the investigating agencies file the necessary charge sheets. It directed both the CBI and the SITs to make every effort to overcome existing obstacles and complete their investigations within a reasonable time.

To facilitate the process, the Supreme Court instructed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of Manipur to provide all necessary logistical and administrative support to the investigating agencies and assess whether additional facilities could be provided for the timely completion of investigations.

During the hearing, the Court was informed that the SITs are currently investigating 3,020 criminal cases across eight districts of Manipur. Charge sheets have been filed in 301 cases, charges have been framed in 41 matters, and trials have commenced in only 10 cases. Nearly 2,924 witnesses have been cited in these cases.

The CBI informed the Bench that it is handling 31 cases transferred to it. Charge sheets have been filed in 21 cases, while supplementary investigations are continuing in 11 matters. Closure reports have been submitted in six cases, three of which have already been accepted by the competent courts. Four cases are still under investigation.

The investigating agency highlighted several challenges affecting the pace of the investigation, including the volatile law and order situation, large-scale displacement of victims and witnesses, lack of cooperation due to mistrust, language barriers caused by multiple regional dialects, prolonged internet shutdowns affecting the collection of digital evidence, and movement restrictions that hampered field investigations.

While acknowledging these practical difficulties, the Supreme Court stressed that the investigations must reach their logical conclusion without undue delay. The Bench directed the CBI, the State SITs and the court-appointed monitoring committee headed by former Maharashtra Director General of Police Dattatray Padsalgikar to submit fresh status reports on the progress of the investigations.

The Court also directed the investigating agencies to compile details of all FIRs in which investigations are pending or charge sheets have already been filed. This information, the Bench observed, would help determine the number of special courts required for the effective and time-bound disposal of the cases.

Addressing the concerns of victims, the Supreme Court noted that several affected persons and their families had not yet received copies of the charge sheets. It permitted legal aid counsel representing the victims to approach the offices of the Chief Justices of the Gauhati High Court and the High Court of Manipur to obtain the relevant records. The Court further directed the investigating agencies to provide copies of the charge sheets to the victims within one week.

The Bench also requested the High Court of Manipur to examine matters relating to 30 persons who continue to remain missing since the outbreak of the ethnic violence.

The violence in Manipur began in May 2023 following a Tribal Solidarity March opposing the demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community. The unrest, which followed an April 2023 order of the Manipur High Court asking the State Government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list, resulted in widespread clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. After a video showing two women being paraded naked emerged, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the situation and has since been monitoring the investigations, rehabilitation efforts and criminal proceedings related to the violence. In 2024, the Manipur High Court recalled its earlier order regarding the Scheduled Tribe recommendation. The violence has claimed more than 200 lives, injured hundreds and displaced thousands, making it one of the most serious episodes of ethnic conflict in recent Indian history.