The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that the forensic investigation into the authenticity of audio clips, which allegedly implicate former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the state’s ethnic violence, has been completed. The report, conducted by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), is set to be submitted to the court in a sealed cover shortly.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna acknowledged the submissions made by the counsel representing both the Centre and the state government, postponing the hearing of a plea by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) to the week starting May 5.
The leaked audio clips in question purportedly feature Singh discussing the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023, which has since resulted in over 260 deaths and the displacement of thousands. The violence was triggered by disputes between the valley-based Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki community over the Meitei’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
KOHUR, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, has been pushing for a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into Singh’s alleged involvement. During proceedings, Bhushan presented what he described as “disturbing conversations” in the audio, suggesting Singh’s active role in instigating and protecting participants of the violence.
In a surprising revelation, Bhushan cited a “truth lab” analysis, which reportedly confirmed with 93% certainty that the voice in the recordings was Singh’s, asserting that these findings were more reliable than traditional forensic science lab reports. This statement was contested by the Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, who questioned the validity of the truth lab’s findings.
The Supreme Court’s previous directive under former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud required KOHUR to substantiate the authenticity of the audio clips. In response, Bhushan committed to filing a copy of the tape in CD format, further intensifying the legal scrutiny of the case.
