New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday announced that it will constitute a three-judge committee to look into relief and rehabilitation in violence-torn Manipur.
The committee, headed by Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, will study the humanitarian issues in the northeastern state.
Justice Shalini Joshi, retired judge of the Bombay High Court, and Justice Asha Menon, former judge of the Delhi High Court will also form a part of the three-women judge committee.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud and Justices J. B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said that the effort of setting up such a committee is to restore a sense of rule of law in Manipur.
The Supreme Court further said that it is not constituting any SIT in the matter but will appoint former IPS Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor the investigation, who will report back to it.
In relation to the FIRs, which were transferred to the CBI by the state government, the top court said that five officials not below the rank of deputy SP will be brought on deputation to the central agency for overseeing the investigation into gender violence cases.
In relation to other FIRs registered in Manipur, 42 SITs will also be formed by the state government at district levels to be headed by officials, not below the rank of SP.
During the hearing, Attorney General R. Venkataramani submitted before the top court that the state government is handling the issue at a very mature level.
He said that the Manipur government will form the SITs at district levels, which will be monitored by DIG, IG, and additional DG rank officials on a weekly basis.
In addition, the Director General of Police will monitor the investigations fortnightly, he said.
With inputs from IANS