The Supreme Court on Monday directed a forensic examination of an audio recording in which a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer is purportedly heard making a communal slur against Muslims, while simultaneously quashing criminal proceedings against the man who had shared the clip seeking confirmation of its authenticity.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and K Vinod Chandran said the prosecution launched against petitioner Islamuddin Ansari was “totally an abuse of police authority and the judicial process”, especially since the Uttar Pradesh government itself sought withdrawal of the case after the top court issued notice.
The controversy began after Ansari confronted the then Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Tyagi, over the circulation of an audio clip in which a voice allegedly belonging to the officer made derogatory remarks against Muslims.
Before filing any complaint, Ansari forwarded the clip to Tyagi asking whether the voice was his. The officer did not respond and, instead, Ansari was booked for circulating hate speech. His challenges before the trial court and the High Court failed, leading him to approach the Supreme Court.
Calling the prosecution “nothing but a counterblast” for questioning a senior police officer, the bench found the conduct of the local police “wholly unacceptable” and set aside the FIR, the chargesheet and all consequential proceedings.
The Supreme Court ordered an inquiry into the authenticity of the audio clip and directed that Tyagi’s voice sample be collected and examined at the Telangana State Forensic Science Laboratory (TSFSL), Hyderabad. The test will be conducted under the direct supervision of its director, who the court said would be “personally responsible” to ensure it is carried out by competent officers “uninfluenced by any person, authority or extraneous consideration”.
Tyagi, now posted as Deputy Inspector General of Police (Basti range), must appear before the Hyderabad laboratory within three weeks to provide his voice sample. The petitioner will supply the original audio clip or link for comparison. TSFSL’s director has been added as a respondent and must submit the sealed forensic report by January 31, 2026. The matter will next be heard on January 12, 2026.
Issuing a clear caution, the bench directed the authorities to ensure there is no harassment or retaliation against Ansari during the course of the inquiry, permitting him to approach the Supreme Court directly if such a situation arises.
