Imphal: The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that a forensic report verifying the authenticity of leaked audio clips, which allegedly implicate former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence that rocked the state in 2023, is ready and will soon be submitted in a sealed cover.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna deferred the hearing of a plea filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) to the week commencing May 5, after taking note of the Centre’s submission. The counsel appearing on behalf of the Union and state government stated that the report, prepared by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), would be formally submitted by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was currently unavailable.
The top court had earlier directed the submission of a sealed-cover forensic report following allegations that Singh, who resigned as chief minister on February 9 amid internal BJP dissent and public pressure, played an active role in inciting the ethnic conflict. The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which erupted in May 2023, has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands.
KOHUR, represented by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, is seeking a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, alleging that Singh was heard in the leaked tapes enabling Meitei groups to loot arms and ammunition. Bhushan termed the audio content “a very serious matter” and informed the court that he had submitted transcripts along with a CD copy of the recordings. He added that a private truth lab had confirmed with 93% certainty that the voice belonged to the former chief minister.
However, Solicitor General Mehta dismissed the reliability of the truth lab findings, questioning the petitioner’s motives and pointing to a high court-appointed three-judge committee’s report suggesting attempts to “keep the pot boiling.” Mehta also argued that the plea could have been filed in the high court under Article 226 of the Constitution, instead of invoking the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.
CJI Khanna acknowledged the sensitivity of the matter but noted that the state was “gradually limping back to normalcy,” and said the court would later consider whether the top court or the high court should adjudicate on the case. Meanwhile, Bhushan emphasized that the leaked clips suggested deliberate state complicity in the violence against the Kuki-Zo community, stating that the tapes featured “disturbing conversations” and demonstrated Singh’s role in both instigating and shielding the perpetrators.
KOHUR’s petition alleges that Singh was instrumental in orchestrating the large-scale violence, including killings and destruction in Kuki-majority areas. It insists on a court-monitored SIT investigation, arguing that only a probe under judicial supervision can ensure accountability at the highest levels of state governance.