The Central Bureau of Investigation has begun framing charges in cases related to the Manipur ethnic violence of May 2023. The first case to reach the trial stage involves the sexual assault of three women, who were paraded naked and assaulted on 4 May 2023.
Six individuals have been charged under sections related to murder, rape, and violations of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The trial is being conducted in a special CBI court in Guwahati, following a Supreme Court directive to move these cases out of Manipur.
According to The Indian Express, the accused in the sexual assault case have been identified as Huirem Herodash Meitei, Arun Khundongbam, Ningombam Tomba Singh, Yumlembam Jiban Singh, Pukhrihongbam Suranjoy Meitei, and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei. Charges include rioting, unlawful assembly, promoting enmity, murder, outraging women's modesty, criminal force to disrobe, rape during communal violence, gang rape, arson, and violations of the SC/ST Act. Four of the accused remain in Manipur Central Jail, while two are out on bail.
The special CBI court, presided over by Justice Chatra Bhukhan Gogoi, has ordered that those on bail must appear physically at the next hearing scheduled for 16 January 2026 as proceedings continue. The court also noted that three individuals named by the victims in their statements were neither made accused nor shown as absconders, with the reasons for this not specified by the investigating officer.
In its order, the court observed that an unlawful assembly of approximately 900 to 1,000 people, suspected to be members of various Meitei youth organizations, entered B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district on 4 May 2023. The group was armed and engaged in destructive activities, including vandalism, arson, looting, and assault. The court stated, “The evidence available in the instant case clearly describes a violent incident involving Meitei mobs targeting Kuki individuals, which includes acts of arson, vandalism, physical assault and sexual assault.”
“The statements of witnesses and video footage clearly depict the actions of accused persons/unlawful assembly. The unlawful assembly was clearly involved in activities like rioting, inciting violence, causing public disturbance, sexual assault, rape and engaged in other criminal acts. The participants were fully aware of the unlawful purpose of the assembly,” the court order stated.
Test identification parades conducted in September 2023 led to the identification of the accused by the victims as confirmed by court records. The accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court’s observations highlighted the organized nature of the violence and the targeted attacks on Kuki individuals during the incident.
Other cases related to the Manipur violence are also being heard by the same special CBI court. These include the disappearance and presumed killing of two Meitei students in July 2023, the murder of Lucy Marem in Imphal, and the abduction and assault of a young Kuki woman in May 2023. In the case of the missing students, the chargesheet has been filed but charges are yet to be framed, with the next hearing pending the supply of digital documents to the accused as per the latest updates.
In the Lucy Marem case, nine individuals, including five women, have been chargesheeted, with a hearing on framing charges scheduled. The case involving the abduction and assault of a Kuki woman saw the court take cognizance of offences including attempt to murder and violation of the SC/ST Act, with the accused currently on bail as recent proceedings indicated.
“The individuals gathered at B Phainom and Toubul village were clear in their intention to engage themselves in destructive activities, including vandalizing and setting houses on fire, looting movable properties, cash, livestock and assaulting villagers,” the court order further stated.
The Supreme Court had transferred all CBI-probed Manipur violence cases to Guwahati in August 2023 to ensure impartiality and security. The special CBI court is handling several prominent cases, with ongoing hearings and further trial dates set for January 2026 as the judicial process advances.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.