GUWAHATI: The central government on Thursday, April 17, informed the Supreme Court that a forensic report on the authenticity of leaked audio clips allegedly linking former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to the state’s ethnic violence was ready. The report will be submitted shortly in a sealed cover.
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A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna took note of the submission by the counsel representing the Centre and the Manipur government. The court subsequently deferred the hearing on a petition filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) to the week commencing 5 May 2025.
The counsel stated that the report, prepared by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), would be filed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. An adjournment was sought on the grounds of the law officer’s temporary unavailability. The court had earlier directed the submission of a sealed-cover report on the matter.
Former Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh had resigned from office on February 9 following internal dissent within the ruling BJP and growing demands for leadership change. The audio clips in question allegedly feature Singh allowing Meitei groups to access arms and ammunition from State government stockpiles.
The petitioner, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, has sought a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team into the alleged role of Singh. The plea claims that the leaked recordings offer strong prima facie evidence of his involvement in orchestrating the ethnic violence.
Bhushan further submitted that transcripts of the clips were annexed, and stated that a truth lab had confirmed with 93% accuracy that the voice in the recordings belonged to Singh. He further said the content of the clips indicated efforts by the state’s machinery to protect attackers and escalate the violence.
The solicitor general, however, questioned the reliability of the truth lab report and argued that the petitioner held ideological biases. He also referred to a report by a committee of three high court judges which suggested attempts to keep tensions active in Manipur.
The ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities, which began in May 2023, has resulted in more than 260 deaths and widespread displacement. The unrest followed protests against a Manipur High Court order regarding Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community.
