The CBI has approached the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to two accused in the Manipur violence case involving gangrape and public parading of two women. The Supreme Court has issued notice and also directed immediate legal aid support for the victims.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to two men accused in the horrific Manipur violence case involving the gang-rape and public parading of two women in 2023.
The matter was heard by a Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, which issued notice to the two accused — Arun Khundongbam @ Nanao and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei — who are currently out on bail.
During the hearing, the CBI strongly opposed the bail granted to the accused and informed the Court about the seriousness of the allegations. The agency told the Court,
“The accused had paraded woman naked. This is a gross case. The women were gangraped and then paraded,”
while seeking cancellation of bail. The counsel appearing for the victims, Advocate Nizam Pasha, also raised an important concern regarding legal representation for the victims and requested the Court to ensure that legal aid counsel are appointed for them if required.
Taking note of this request, the Supreme Court directed immediate compliance and stated,
“Regarding issue of appointment of legal aid counsels for the victim, let that be complied with forthwith.”
This case relates to one of the most shocking incidents from the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, where two women belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were stripped and paraded naked by a mob. The incident came to national attention after a disturbing video of the assault surfaced online months later, leading to widespread outrage across the country.
The Supreme Court had then taken suo motu cognisance of the matter considering the gravity of the crime and the breakdown of law and order reflected in the incident.
Also Read: “Don’t Use Proceedings for Violence” : CJI On Manipur Violence
The ethnic violence in Manipur began in May 2023 due to tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The conflict was triggered after a Manipur High Court directive asked the State government to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list. Although the directive was later withdrawn, large-scale violence had already broken out across the State.
Considering the seriousness of the situation and the need for a fair investigation, the Supreme Court transferred several cases related to the Manipur violence to the CBI for investigation. In August 2023, the Supreme Court also ordered that the trials in CBI-investigated cases arising out of the Manipur violence be conducted in Assam to ensure a fair trial and a neutral environment for the proceedings.
However, in September 2025, the Gauhati High Court granted bail to two of the accused involved in the mob assault case. The High Court noted that there had been a significant delay in the trial and observed that the delay was largely due to lapses on the part of the prosecution, including the CBI.
The High Court held that the accused could not be kept in jail indefinitely without progress in the trial and therefore granted them bail.
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The trial in the case has now begun. In January this year, a special court in Guwahati, Assam framed criminal charges against six men, including the two accused who are currently out on bail, in connection with the incident where the two women were paraded naked and sexually assaulted.
The Supreme Court has now sought responses from the two accused on the CBI’s plea for cancellation of bail, and the matter is expected to be heard further after their responses are filed. The case continues to remain one of the most sensitive and serious criminal cases arising out of the Manipur violence, and the Supreme Court’s decision on the cancellation of bail will be significant for the course of the trial and for ensuring justice to the victims.
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