Trial has begun in a Special CBI Court in the May 2023 case of three women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted during the Manipur ethnic violence, making it the first of the cases related to the period being probed by the Central agency to reach this stage.
Charges have been framed against six people in the sexual assault case, which happened on May 4, 2023, the second day of the start of the violence, under Sections dealing with murder, rape and violation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. While the three women had been assaulted, the father and brother of one of them had been murdered.
In August 2023, the Supreme Court had moved trial in the cases related to the Manipur ethnic violence being probed by the CBI to Guwahati. Several of the prominent ones are being heard by the same Special CBI Court.
These include the case of the two Meitei students who went missing in July 2023 and were presumed killed after, three months later, photographs of their bodies surfaced on social media. Their bodies were never found.
The chargesheet in this case was filed against four people – Lhingeneichang, Paominlun Haokip, Smalswan Haokip and Paolunmang. However, the charges have not yet been framed by the court. The last hearing was held on December 16, 2025, when the counsel for the accused said that certain digital documents were yet to be supplied to the accused. The court then set a next date.
Another case the court is hearing is of the murder of Lucy Marem, a Maring Naga woman, in Imphal in July 2023. The CBI has submitted a chargesheet against nine people – including five women – in this case. A hearing was to be held on Friday over framing of charges.
The case of a young Kuki woman who alleged that she was abducted by four men on May 15, and assaulted and raped before she escaped, is also being heard by the Special CBI Court. The CBI filed a chargesheet in May 2025, and the court took cognizance of offences including attempt to murder, criminal force to disrobe, causing simple hurt, and violation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against two accused. At the last hearing, on January 2, the two were allowed bail.
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In the case of the women being paraded naked, the Special CBI Court of Justice Chatra Bhukhan Gogoi framed charges on January 2 against Huirem Herodash Meitei, Arun Khundongbam, Ningombam Tomba Singh, Yumlembam Jiban Singh, Pukhrihongbam Suranjoy Meitei and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei.
They are facing charges under Sections pertaining to rioting, unlawful assembly, promoting enmity between groups, murder, outraging modesty of a woman, criminal force to disrobe a woman, rape during sectarian or communal violence, gang rape, mischief by fire with intent to destroy houses, and violations of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The six have pleaded not guilty.
While four of the accused remain in Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, Khundongbam and Nameirakpam are out on bail. At its last hearing, the court ordered that those on bail appear before it physically on the next date of hearing, which is on January 16.
The court also observed that three others named by the victims in their statements before the magistrate and the CBI were “neither made accused in the charge-sheet nor shown… as absconders for reasons known to the investigating officer”.
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The court said: “It is clear from the statements of Victim-1, Victim-2, Victim- 3, the informant and witnesses… that there was an unlawful assembly of around 900/1000 persons, suspected to be members of various Meitei Youth Organizations, armed with sophisticated weapons, (they) entered B Phainom village, Kangpokpi District, Manipur, on 4th May, 2023. 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 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,” states the order.
It also states that the accused were identified by the victims in a test identification parade in September 2023.
“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,” it states.
