CHURACHANDPUR, May 23: A sessions court in Manipur’s Churachandpur district has been officially designated as a special court for trying cases related to the ethnic violence that erupted in the state in 2023. This significant development comes as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) takes over several high-profile cases connected to the prolonged unrest.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a notification on Thursday confirming that the Court of District and Sessions Judge, Churachandpur, will now function as the Special Court under Section 11 of the NIA Act, 2008. The decision was taken in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.
“The Central Government, in consultation with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur, hereby designates the Court of District and Sessions Judge, Churachandpur District, Manipur as the Special Court… for the trial of the Scheduled Offences investigated by the National Investigation Agency,” the MHA notification stated.
The jurisdiction of the special court will extend across the entire state of Manipur.
The NIA is currently investigating three major cases arising from the ethnic clashes that began on May 3, 2023. Among them is the abduction and murder of six women and children in Jiribam, a case that sparked nationwide outrage. The agency formally registered these cases in November 2024 after the MHA decided to hand over the investigations due to the severity of the crimes and the deteriorating law and order situation.
