Manipur violence: Supreme Court seeks forensic report over audio clips against CM Biren Singh

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory on leaked audio tapes indicating the alleged involvement of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the state's ongoing ethnic violence.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also noted that the state is gradually limping back to normalcy. The violence in Manipur has killed more than 200 people and left thousands homeless since it first erupted in May 2023.

At the beginning of the hearing, the bench proposed to advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, that the state is gradually limping back to normalcy and the court can keep the matter on hold.

The court also pointed out the second issue is whether Manipur High Court should hear this matter.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that there are no incidents now. Bhushan said these tape recordings which came out established Manipur CM's involvement.

The counsel said that he has annexed the transcripts of the tape recordings, which are very serious.

Mehta said the FIR was lodged in August; however, the petition was filed in November 2024.

“Whatever they supplied has been sent to CFSL and awaiting their report. Whoever has uploaded on their Twitter account, we have approached them also,” Mehta said, adding that the government is waiting for the lab report.

The bench asked Mehta to examine the transcripts.

"The petitioner has some ideological inclination, separatists etc. There are reports filed by the court-appointed committee that these civil society organisations are wanting to keep the pot boiling. Let this not happen”.

On this, the bench said, "In the beginning itself, we said it should not become another issue but at the same, we do not know the contents of the transcripts and the veracity also”.

The bench told Mehta that the concerned authority has to verify the veracity of the tape recordings. “When will the FSL report come,” the bench asked.

As Mehta said that the recordings were sent to the CFSL in November 2024, Mehta asked him to get the report in one month.

Bhushan said they had sent the recordings to a truth lab, and this lab has far greater expertise and credibility than any CFSL.

“Truth labs have been asked by high courts and other courts, their report says yes, these are his (Manipur CM) voice,” Bhushan said.

The counsel said there are 93 per cent chances that is Manipur CM’s voice.

The court fixed the matter for consideration after six weeks.

Bhushan, citing the transcript of the audio clip, said the CM is saying that he allowed the Meitei people to loot the arms from the armoury and he protected them from being arrested, and it was a closed-door meeting of some of the Meiteis. “Unfortunately for him, one person on his phone recorded this whole meeting,” Bhushan said.

"Let us have the report…we are asking them in six weeks and they will give it,” the bench listed the matter in the week commencing on March 24, 2025.

The court said the CFSL report will be produced in sealed cover.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by a Kuki organisation seeking a court-monitored investigation into certain clips which allegedly implicated Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for instigating ethnic violence in the state.

On November 8, 2024, representing the petitioner, Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, Bhushan cited a clip by a whistleblower before the court in which he alleged that Manipur Chief Minister appears to be admitting that he fuelled the insurgency, he was the person who allowed arms to be looted, and he has protected the people who looted the arms.