With formal criminal charges finally framed in a Guwahati special court, the CBI is pushing the Supreme Court to cancel the bail of two men implicated in one of the most shocking episodes of the May 2023 ethnic clashes.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has petitioned the Supreme Court to cancel the bail granted to two men accused of gang-raping and parading two women naked during the devastating ethnic clashes in Manipur in May 2023.
During a hearing on Tuesday, a three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh issued notices seeking responses from the two accused, identified as Arun Khundongbam (alias Nanao) and Nameirakpam Kiran Meitei.
The CBI’s counsel pressed the Court on the extreme severity of the charges, urging the cancellation of bail by emphasizing the horrific nature of the crime. “The accused had paraded women naked. This is a gross case. The women were gang-raped and then paraded,” the agency submitted.
Simultaneously, Advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the victims, requested the Court to ensure that legal aid counsel is appointed for them if required. The Bench responded swiftly, directing that the appointment of legal aid for the victims be complied with “forthwith.”
The Background: Why Bail Was Granted The current Supreme Court petition stems from a September 2025 ruling by the Gauhati High Court, which granted bail to Khundongbam and Meitei.
Despite the severe nature of the allegations, the High Court’s decision was rooted in procedural delays. The court noted that there had been a significant delay in the commencement of the trial, placing the blame largely on lapses by the prosecuting agency, the CBI. The High Court ruled that under the law, the accused could not be subjected to indefinite pre-trial incarceration due to the prosecution’s failure to proceed in a timely manner, ultimately granting them bail.
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The case originates from the widespread violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 following tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The specific incident involving the two Kuki-Zo women sparked nationwide outrage months later when a video of the assault surfaced online. The viral footage prompted the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter, leading to the CBI taking over the investigation of several related cases.
To ensure a fair trial environment free from local tensions, the Supreme Court directed in August 2023 that trials for CBI-probed cases arising from the Manipur violence be relocated to neighboring Assam.
After the procedural delays noted by the High Court last year, the legal proceedings have finally advanced. In January 2026, a special court in Guwahati officially framed criminal charges against six men, including the two currently out on bail, marking the formal beginning of the trial for the sexual assault and mob violence.
