The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong displeasure over the Central Forensic Science Laboratory’s (CFSL) handling of audio recordings allegedly implicating former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence that erupted in the state last year.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma said the laboratory had carried out a “misdirected” exercise by attempting to verify the authenticity of the clips instead of focusing on the court’s direction.
“We had not asked about authenticity of the video. What we are asking for is after testing that voice with the admitted voice of the individual whether it can be identified that same persons are speaking in both?” the bench observed.
The judges also criticised the laboratory’s approach, telling Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati: “We don’t need authenticity of the video to be established. The entire exercise seems to be misdirected. Only wishy-washy answers are being given. The CFSL is under the impression that we want to know if the video is authentic or not.”
The bench further rejected an application filed by Singh’s daughter to be added as a party to the case, remarking: “This is not a family support programme.”
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), pressed for an independent SIT probe, arguing that the CFSL functioned under the same government to which Singh belonged.
Countering the argument, the bench remarked, “You cannot suspect the bonafides of every organisation on the ground of administrative control. We will have to bring an organisation from abroad.”
The matter has now been listed for further hearing on August 25 as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was unavailable, being engaged in another court.
Earlier, on May 5, a bench led by then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna examined a forensic report on the leaked audio and directed the Manipur government to file a fresh report. The court had sought a sealed-cover submission from CFSL regarding the allegations.
On November 8 last year, a bench headed by former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud directed KOHUR to furnish material substantiating the authenticity of the leaked recordings.
The audio clips allegedly contain conversations where Singh is purportedly heard allowing Meitei groups to loot state armouries and instigating violence against the Kuki Zo community. Bhushan described the content as “very serious” and “disturbing,” alleging complicity of the state machinery in orchestrating the violence.
KOHUR’s plea contends that Singh was “instrumental in inciting, organising and centrally orchestrating large-scale murder, destruction and violence in Kuki-dominated areas of Manipur.”
The ethnic clashes broke out in May 2023 after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was held in the hill districts opposing a Manipur High Court order on granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community. Since then, over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced as violence engulfed the state.
