The Supreme Court has ordered a forensic voice test of UP DIG Sanjeev Tyagi in a controversial communal slur audio case, while quashing charges against a Muslim senior citizen, calling the prosecution an abuse of power and legal process.
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NEW DELHI: In a major development, the Supreme Court of India has ordered a forensic examination of a controversial audio clip allegedly featuring Uttar Pradesh Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sanjeev Tyagi using a communal slur against Muslims.
A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and K Vinod Chandran also quashed all criminal proceedings initiated against the petitioner, Islamuddin Ansari, a senior Muslim citizen who was prosecuted for merely forwarding the audio clip to the Superintendent of Police Tyagi and seeking confirmation of the voice.
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The Supreme Court observed that the FIR and charge sheet filed against Ansari amounted to “abuse of police authority and the judicial process.” According to the Court, the police initiated proceedings as a “counterblast” solely because Ansari questioned the authenticity of the audio clip instead of filing a complaint directly.
The Bench noted:
“The prosecution should never have been initiated. We find it to be totally an abuse of authority and the process of the Court by the Police.”
The State of Uttar Pradesh itself informed the Court that it intended to withdraw the case, which strengthened the Bench’s conclusion that the FIR was unjustified.
To verify the authenticity of the controversial recording, the Supreme Court directed that the clip be examined scientifically. The voice sample of DIG Tyagi will be collected by the Telangana State Forensic Science Laboratory (TSFSL), Hyderabad, under the direct supervision of the facility’s Director.
The Court stated that the process must be conducted by professionals of proven integrity without any political or institutional influence. DIG Tyagi must appear before the laboratory within three weeks to submit his voice sample. Meanwhile, the petitioner must provide the original audio clip or the digital link for comparison.
A sealed forensic report has been ordered to be submitted by January 31, 2026, and the matter has been listed for hearing on January 12, 2026.
As a protective measure, the Bench warned authorities against any form of retaliation against Ansari during the inquiry process.
“If any attempt is made or action taken to harass or exert pressure on the petitioner, he may approach this Court directly,”
the order reads.
Background of the Case
The controversy began after an alleged audio clip surfaced online, in which DIG Sanjeev Tyagi was reportedly heard using abusive and derogatory language against Muslims. Before making any formal complaint, Islamuddin Ansari forwarded the clip to Tyagi and asked him to confirm whether the voice was his.
However, instead of responding to the query, the police initiated a case against Ansari, accusing him of circulating material containing hate speech. When his attempts to seek relief from the trial court and subsequently the High Court failed, Ansari approached the Supreme Court.
After the Supreme Court issued notice in the matter, the State of Uttar Pradesh informed the Court that it intended to withdraw the complaint against him.
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Appearance:
The petitioner: Advocates Aadil Singh Boparai, Abhishek Dubey, Prakruthi Jain, Shurti Agarwal, Amarjeet Singh and Satvinder Singh.
The State: Advocates Abhishek Saket, Sudeep Kumar, Manisha, Rupali and Nidhi Singh.
Case Title:
Islamuddin Ansari vs. State of UP
SPECIAL LEAVE TO APPEAL (CRL.) NO(S). 14997/2025
READ ORDER
