Manipur Viral Video: CBI Takes Over Probe Into Case, Lodges FIR

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday formally took charge of the probe into the incident connected with the horrific viral video of two women who were paraded naked by a mob in Manipur.

After taking over the investigation, the CBI has registered an FIR in the case.

An FIR was registered by the probe agency following directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the case of outraging of modesty, sexual assault and violence against two women in Manipur a day after the outbreak of ethnic violence in the state. The hostilities were sparked off after a rally on tribal solidarity organized on May 3.

The FIR was registered by the probe agency following a notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT).

The CBI has registered cases in the FIR under Sections 153A, 398, 427, 436, 448, 302, 354, 364, 326, 376, 34 IPC and 25 (1-C) A Act.

Following the outrage over the viral video, the police swung into action and arrested as many as seven of the accused in this case. In a breakthrough, the mobile phone which was used to shoot the video has also been recovered but the video was found to have been deleted.

With the CBI now taking over investigation into the case, the probe agency will take custody of the accused and interrogate them, along with recording the statements of the victims and also conduct an inspection of the crime scene.

The Supreme Court was informed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday that the central investigating agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will formally take over the probe into the Manipur viral video.

The government had also stated about its "zero-tolerance policy" towards crimes against women and requested the Supreme Court to pass necessary directions for the trial to be conducted outside Manipur. It was also said that the government will seek the trial of this case in a court in neighbouring Assam.

In an affidavit submitted by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to the Supreme Court, the Centre informed that the decision to hand over the probe into the case to the CBI was taken after consultation with the Manipur government.

On July 19, a two-month-old video of two women belonging to the Kuki-Zomi community being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur surfaced on the internet and it soon went viral. The incident recorded in the video happened on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, a day after ethnic violence broke out in Manipur. The video sparked huge outrage across the country and beyond it.

It was later confirmed that the victims stripped and paraded naked were later gang-raped by the men.

Police swung into action and arrested the main accused who was seen in the video. Moreover, Manipur Police also managed to arrest a total of seven people in connection with the case. They will now be interrogated by the CBI.

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