Guwahati: The Supreme Court of India on Monday has sought the submission of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory’s report on the examination of certain audio tapes allegedly contain statements suggesting that Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh was involved in the State’s ethnic unrest.
The report is to be submitted in a sealed envelope.
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A bench, including Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, issued the directive in response to a petition filed by the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, calling for an independent investigation into the audio tapes. The case will be heard again in the week starting March 24, 2025.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, argued that the tapes had been analyzed by “Truth Labs,” which confirmed with over 93% certainty that the voice in the recordings was indeed that of Biren Singh.
Bhushan claimed that in the recordings, the Chief Minister could be heard admitting to allowing Meitei groups to raid the State’s armoury and ensuring they were shielded from arrest.
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He alleged that these comments were “unfortunately” recorded by someone present at a private meeting and later leaked, stressing that this was a “serious issue” that indicated the Chief Minister’s involvement in encouraging and aiding ethnic violence.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State, reiterated his objection that the petitioner should first approach the High Court.
He also noted that an FIR had been filed concerning the matter and an investigation was underway.
The authorities have contacted the Twitter accounts that uploaded the recordings for verification, and the tapes have been sent for forensic examination.
The Solicitor General further claimed that the petitioner was carrying certain “ideological biases” and suggested a “separatist agenda.”
He also stated that the panel of judges appointed by the Supreme Court had expressed concerns about certain civil society organizations attempting to “keep the situation tense.”
Chief Justice Khanna inquired, “I have not looked into the content and authenticity of the recordings, but when will the forensic reports be available?” The Solicitor General responded that the forensic reports could be presented when ready.
Bhushan countered by asserting that the “Truth Labs” report held greater credibility than any government agency’s findings.
The bench concluded by scheduling the next hearing for the week beginning March 24, 2025.
They noted that the audio clips had been sent for CFSL examination, and the report would be submitted in a sealed envelope.
The bench also clarified that the Solicitor General’s preliminary objection would be addressed at a later stage.
Previously, a bench consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwal, and Justice Manoj Misra had instructed the petitioner to present evidence supporting the authenticity of the audio clips.
In response, the petitioner submitted the analysis from Truth Lab.