Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Thursday, April 30, ordered a new forensic analysis of an audio recording that allegedly connects former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to the ethnic unrest in 2023.
The court directed the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gujarat to examine the clip and conduct voice comparison tests.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran issued the order while hearing a petition filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), which is demanding an independent investigation into the violence.
The court also instructed that a pen drive containing the complete recording, said to be over two hours long, be shared with all parties and sent to the forensic institute for detailed review.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner, Prashant Bhushan, informed the court that the entire 2-hour-36-minute audio had been transferred from the original source onto a pen drive.
The bench directed that this device, treated as the primary copy, be given to the opposing side and forwarded to NFSU for comparison with verified voice samples of the person concerned.
The court further asked the forensic agency to check whether the audio had been altered, cut, or manipulated, and to verify if the voice matched authenticated recordings of Singh.
The Supreme Court, on January 7, had already ordered a forensic review of a 48-minute audio recording and instructed that all related clips be examined together, with findings to be submitted in a sealed report.
In December, the bench had also flagged concern that only partial portions of the recordings were initially sent for analysis, noting its dissatisfaction over the incomplete material placed before it.
The National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) had earlier indicated that the leaked audio files appeared to carry signs of possible manipulation and were not suitable for reliable voice analysis.
However, the petitioner’s lawyer referred to another expert opinion suggesting that at least one version of the recording had not been altered.
The matter relates to the violent conflict that began in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki groups, leaving over 260 people dead and forcing thousands to leave their homes.
The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has accused N. Biren Singh of involvement in the violence, allegations that are still being examined by the court.
N. Biren Singh had resigned from the Chief Minister’s post on February 9 last year. The Supreme Court is still hearing the matter, which remains unresolved.