SC seeks fresh report from Manipur on probe into alleged audio clips of ex-CM Biren Singh

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday reviewed a forensic report concerning leaked audio clips allegedly implicating former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence that erupted in the state in May 2023. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, opened a sealed cover report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and directed the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to obtain fresh instructions from state officials regarding the ongoing investigation.
"The FSL report has been filed. We need a month to probe it," the Solicitor General said, adding that with peace prevailing in the region, the matter could now be handled by the Manipur High Court.
Chief Justice Khanna responded, "Let us keep the petitioners aside and, if something wrong has been done, let us look into it rather than protect anyone." The bench ordered the Solicitor General to re-examine the matter and file a fresh report, scheduling the next hearing for the week starting July 21, 2025.
Appearing for the petitioner, Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), advocate Prashant Bhushan stressed the need for an impartial probe, emphasizing that the allegations involved the former chief minister. CJI Khanna responded, "Now we have President's Rule there; it should not be a problem."
Earlier, the state had informed the court that the forensic report on the leaked clips was ready. The court had previously directed the submission of a sealed-cover CFSL report to verify the authenticity of the recordings, which allegedly featured Singh discussing the distribution of arms to Meitei groups.
Bhushan argued that the audio was a “very serious matter,” citing transcripts and a report from an independent "truth lab" which confirmed that 93 percent of the voice matched Singh’s. He claimed the recordings showed Singh instigating violence and shielding perpetrators. "I have annexed transcripts of the tape recordings," Bhushan told the court.
The Solicitor General challenged the credibility of the truth lab findings and noted a report by a committee of three High Court judges, which suggested that certain groups were attempting to keep the conflict alive.
The case stems from KOHUR's petition seeking a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into Singh’s alleged involvement in orchestrating violence targeting Kuki-dominated areas. The petition asserts that the leaked audio provides strong prima facie evidence of Singh's complicity and a broader conspiracy involving the state machinery.
Over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since violence began following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' protesting the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Singh resigned on February 9, 2025, amid internal dissent within the BJP and mounting public pressure.

(With Inputs from PTI)