REPORTABLE Sl. Nos. 10-11 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL PIL No. 18 of 2024 1. Shri Soram Tekendrajit, aged about 81 years, S/o (L) S. Mani Singh, resident of Uripok Sorbon Thingel, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur- 795001. 2. Shri Samom Dhruba, aged about 46 years, S/o S. Guno Singh, resident of Yumjaomanbi 91 Meitei Langol, P.O. & P.S. Lamphel, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795004. ……Petitioners Vs. 1. The Union of India represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi – 110001. 2. The Director General of Central Reserve Police Force, Government of India, New Delhi – 110001. 3. The Director General of National Investigating Agency, Government of India, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003. 4. The State of Manipur through the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, Secretariat South Block, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795001. 5. The Director General of Police, Government of Manipur, Babupara, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795001. 6. The Superintendent of Police, Jiribam District, Government of Manipur, Jiribam, P.O., P.S. & District Jiribam, Manipur- 795116. ……Respondents SHAMURAIL ATPAM SUSHIL SHARMA Digitally signed by SHAMURAILATPA M SUSHIL SHARMA Date: 2026.03.09 18:10:41 +05'30' With MC(PIL) No. 28 of 2025 Ref:- PIL No. 18 of 2024 The Director General of National Investigation Agency, Government of India, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003. ……Applicant/Respondent No. 3 Vs. 1. Shri Soram Tekendrajit, aged about 81 years, S/o (L) S. Mani Singh, a resident of Uripok Sorbon Thingel, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur- 795001. 2. Shri Samom Dhruba, aged about 46 years, S/o S. Guno Singh, resident of Yumjaomanbi 91 Meitei Langol, P.O. & P.S. Lamphel, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795004. 3. The Union of India represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi – 110001. 4. The Director General of Central Reserve Police Force, Government of India, New Delhi – 110001. 5. The State of Manipur through the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, Secretariat South Block, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795001. 6. The Director General of Police, Government of Manipur, Babupara, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795001. 7. The Superintendent of Police, Jiribam District, Government of Manipur, Jiribam, P.O., P.S. & District Jiribam, Manipur- 795116. ……Proforma Respondents BEFORE HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH (ORDER) s (Order of the Court was made by M. Sundar, CJ) 09.03.2026. [1] In the hearing today, Mr. M. Rustam, learned counsel along with learned counsel Ms. Julekha Khan for the PIL (‘PIL’ denotes ‘Public Interest Litigation’) petitioners, Mr. N. Nongdamba, learned counsel led by Mr. Kh. Samarjit, learned senior advocate and DSGI (Deputy Solicitor General of India) for R1 to R3 and Ms. Thanyomi Keishing, State Counsel led by Mr. H. Debendra, senior advocate and Deputy Advocate General for R4 to R6 are before this Court. To be noted, ‘R1’ denotes ‘first respondent’ and similar abbreviations are being used for other respondents also. [2] Main PIL was taken up with the consent of all the aforesaid learned counsel and learned senior counsel. [3] Captioned matter pertains to an unfortunate incident on 11.11.2024 in Jakrodhor Karong village, Jiribam District, Manipur in which 8 (eight) civilians in all which includes 3 (three) women and 3 (three) minor children including a 8 (eight) months old isnfant were killed/abducted and killed. This unfortunate incident includes allegations of residential houses and shops being set ablaze. [4] Captioned PIL has been filed with prayers seeking direction to the respondents to secure/arrest the culprits, complete the investigation within a stipulated period and also pay adequate compensation to the families of the deceased. [5] In the hearing today, from the proceedings made in the previous listings, progress reports placed before this Court from time to time and other submissions made by learned counsel before this court, it comes to light that the case is now pending as Special Trial (NIA) Case No. 4 of 2026 in the ‘court of Special Judge, NIA Special Court-I, Manipur’ (‘said court’ for the sake of brevity) 3 (three) persons alleged to have committed the afore-referred offence/s have been secured/arrested, chargesheet has been filed on 23.01.2026, cognizance of chargesheet has been taken by said court qua all 3 (three) accused and as of 10.02.2026, there is a direction to furnish RP to the accused (this court is informed that ‘RP’ is an abbreviation for ‘Relevant Papers’). [6] Thereafter, from the e-Courts website, we find that the case was listed in said corut on 10.02.2026, 24.02.2026 and scanned reproduction of the proceedings of said court made on 10.02.2026 and 24.02.2026 are as follows : [7] It comes to light from the afore-referred proceedings that R.P. have since been furnished to the accused and the matter is now scheduled to be listed tomorrow (10.03.2026) for charge hearing i.e., for hearing regarding framing of charges. [8] As regards compensation to the victims, learned Deputy Advocate General and senior counsel Mr. Debendra, on instructions from State Counsel Ms. Thanyomi Keishing, submitted that administrative approval for compensation totaling Rs. 80 lakhs (10 lakhs to the next of kin [NoK] of each one of the deceased) has been accorded vide proceedings dated 27.11.2024 bearing reference No. H-4/40/2024-HD- HD and a scanned reproduction of this order which is placed before us is as follows : [9] Learned Deputy Advocate General, on instructions, submits that with the exception of cases where there are rival claims inter se NoKs, disbursement has also been made qua afore-referred compensation under State & Central ex-gratia scheme. [10] Reverting to the proceedings in said court, learned Deputy Solicitor, on instructions and also by adverting to the chargesheet, more particularly, paragraphs 18.1 and 18.2 thereat, submits that further investigation under Section 193(9) of ‘Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023)’ [hereinafter ‘BNSS’ for the sake of brevity] (to be noted, Section 173(8) of erstwhile the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973) is being resorted to and if further materials surface, needful will be done inter-alia by securing person/s concerned and file additional chargesheet. [11] As regards said court, we find that said court is not an exclusive NIA court i.e., it is not a dedicated NIA court but it is a designated court being court of District and Sessions Judge, Imphal East. This means that other civil and criminal cases are also being dealt with by the said court. We have examined the statement showing opening balance, institution, disposal and pendency of cases qua said court as of January, 2026. As regards criminal cases, 66 main cases and 55 miscellaneous cases are pending. As regards civil cases, 19 main case and 18 miscellaneous cases are pending. In other words, a total of 85 main cases and 73 miscellaneous cases are pending. We also find that criminal cases include 13 special trial NIA cases. [12] In aforesaid backdrop, we deem it appropriate to request the said court to adhere to Section 19 of ‘the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008)’ [‘said NIA Act’ for convenience] which mandates that trial under NIA Act shall be held on day-to-day basis on all working days and that such trial shall have precedence over trial of other cases against the accused in other Courts (not being a Special Court). This Court is also informed that constitution of an exclusive NIA Court is in the anvil. This submission of learned State Counsel is recorded. Page 8 of 9 [13] We request the said court to complete chargesheet hearing i.e., hearing for framing of charges preferably tomorrow or at the earliest depending on what unfurls in the hearing tomorrow and also complete the trial and return a verdict as expeditiously as the official business of said court would permit. [14] The narrative thus far makes it clear that the prayers of the PIL petitioners have been addressed and in any event, it is open to the PIL petitioners to come to this Court again on the same matter if any other issue pops up or if there are any other change of circumstances. [15] As regards the captioned MC, which has been taken out by NIA, Mr. Nongdamba, learned counsel on record, very fairly submitted that as chargesheet has since been filed, the captioned MC has become infructuous and he is not pressing the same, saying so learned counsel has made an endorsement in the case file and scanned reproduction of the same is as follows : [16] In the light of the narrative thus far, captioned main PIL is disposed of as closed albeit with preservation of rights in the aforesaid manner and observations as set out above. Captioned MC is disposed of as not pressed/closed. [17] There shall be no order as to costs. JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE FR/NFR Sushil P.S. I : Upload forthwith P.S. II : All concerned will stand bound by web copy uploaded in High Court website inter alia as the same is QR coded.