The Supreme Court criticised CFSL for giving “wishy-washy answers” in testing leaked audio tapes linked to ex-Manipur CM N Biren Singh’s alleged role in ethnic violence. The bench clarified it only wanted a voice-match, not video authenticity.
New Delhi: On Aug 19, the Supreme Court expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) over the way it tested the leaked audio recordings said to involve former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the state’s ethnic violence.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma said the laboratory had misunderstood its directions. The court explained that it had not asked for the authenticity of the videos to be checked, but only wanted to know if the voice in the clips matched Singh’s admitted voice samples.
The bench said,
“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?”
It further told 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 court also dismissed an application filed by Singh’s daughter who wanted to join the case. The bench clearly said this was not a matter of family intervention, remarking,
“It wasn’t a family support programme.”
During the hearing, Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), pressed for an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. He argued that the same government to which Singh belongs has control over the CFSL, raising doubts about fairness.
But the bench was not convinced, saying,
“You cannot suspect the bonafides of every organisation on the ground of administrative control. We will have to bring an organisation from abroad.”
Since Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was engaged in another court, the matter was posted for hearing again on August 25.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had criticised the Manipur government for failing to place on record a fresh forensic report on the leaked clips despite being ordered to do so.
On May 5, a bench led by former CJI Sanjiv Khanna had already seen a forensic report about the authenticity of the leaked audios and directed the state to file a fresh report.
At that time, the court opened a sealed-cover report from CFSL submitted by Mehta and asked him to take further instructions from state officers on the investigation. The Manipur government had informed the court that a new forensic report on the authenticity of the audios was ready to be filed.
Singh resigned as Manipur Chief Minister on February 9 this year after rising pressure within the BJP and demands for a change in leadership.
The KOHUR petition had sought a court-monitored SIT investigation into Singh’s alleged role. According to Bhushan, the leaked audios contained “very serious matter” where Singh could be heard saying that Meitei groups were permitted to loot arms and ammunition belonging to the state.
On November 8 last year, a bench headed by then CJI D Y Chandrachud had asked KOHUR to submit material to prove authenticity of the clips.
The violence in Manipur began in May 2023 after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was organised in the hill districts protesting against a Manipur High Court order related to the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Since then, over 260 people have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced as clashes broke out between the Meitei population in the Imphal valley and the Kuki community in the hills.
Bhushan alleged that the recordings suggested state complicity, saying Singh could be heard instigating violence and protecting the attackers.
The plea by KOHUR claimed that Singh was directly involved in “inciting, organising and thereafter centrally orchestrating the large-scale murder, destruction and other forms of violence against the Kuki-dominated areas in Manipur.”
Case Title:
Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust v. UOI & Anr.
W.P.(C) No. 702/2024 | PIL-W
Read Live Coverage:
Click Here to Read More Reports On Manipur Violence
