New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to submit a report on purported audio clips allegedly featuring Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh discussing the violence in the state that claimed around 200 lives.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar issued the order while hearing a plea filed by the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, as reported by Live Law. The petition sought an independent investigation into the audio tapes, with the next hearing scheduled for March 2025.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, argued that an independent forensic analysis by “Truth Labs” found a 93% match between Biren Singh’s voice and the recordings. He claimed that in the clips, the CM could be heard stating that he allowed Meitei groups to loot the state armoury and ensured their protection from arrest.
However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea, arguing that the petitioner should approach the High Court. He added that an FIR had been registered, and investigative agencies had reached out to Twitter accounts that uploaded the clips. The SG accused the petitioner of having a “separatist mindset.”
CJI Khanna questioned when the CFSL report would be available, while Bhushan asserted that the “Truth Labs” findings were credible. The bench ordered that the forensic report be submitted in a sealed cover and scheduled the matter for a hearing in the week commencing March 24, 2025.
The petition also claimed that a whistleblower recorded Biren Singh’s alleged statement admitting to instigating the violence against Kukis. On December 31, 2024, the Manipur CM apologized for the ethnic clashes that erupted in May 2023 between the Kuki and Meitei communities.
