Supreme Court Seeks Forensic Report On Manipur CM’s Alleged Audio Clips Linking Him To Ethnic Violence

Supreme Court Seeks Forensic Report On Manipur CM’s Alleged Audio Clips Linking Him To Ethnic Violence


India

oi-Amit Vasudev

Google Oneindia News

The
Supreme
Court
on
Monday,
directed
the
submission
of
a
Central
Forensic
Science
Laboratory
(CFSL)
report
regarding
the
examination
of
certain
audio
tapes
that
allegedly
contain
statements
implicating
Manipur
Chief
Minister
Biren
Singh
in
the
state’s
ethnic
violence.

The
report
is
to
be
submitted
in
a
sealed
cover,
reported
Live
Law.

A
bench
comprising
Chief
Justice
of
India
Sanjiv
Khanna
and
Justice
Sanjay
Kumar
issued
the
order
in
response
to
a
writ
petition
filed
by
the
Kuki
Organisation
for
Human
Rights
Trust,
which
is
seeking
an
independent
investigation
into
the
audio
recordings.

The
case
is
scheduled
to
be
heard
again
in
the
week
commencing
March
24,
2025.

Appearing
for
the
petitioner,
Advocate
Prashant
Bhushan
argued
that
the
tapes
had
been
examined
by
‘Truth
Labs’,
which
determined
with
over
93%
certainty
that
the
voice
belonged
to
Biren
Singh.

He
stated
that,
in
the
recordings,
the
Chief
Minister
could
be
heard
saying
that
he
had
permitted
Meitei
groups
to
loot
the
state’s
armoury
and
ensured
their
protection
from
arrest.

Bhushan
asserted
that
these
remarks
had
been
“unfortunately” recorded
by
an
individual
present
in
the
closed-door
meeting
and
were
later
leaked.
He
described
the
matter
as
a
“serious
issue”
that
demonstrated
the
Chief
Minister’s
role
in
instigating
and
abetting
ethnic
violence.

Solicitor
General
of
India
Tushar
Mehta,
representing
the
state,
reiterated
his
preliminary
objection
that
the
petitioner
should
first
approach
the
High
Court.

He
further
informed
the
court
that
an
FIR
had
already
been
registered
regarding
the
matter
and
that
an
investigation
was
in
progress.

The
investigating
agency
had
also
contacted
the
X
accounts
that
had
uploaded
the
audio
recordings
for
verification.
The
tapes
had
been
sent
for
forensic
examination.

Additionally,
the
SG
alleged
that
the
petitioner
was
carrying
an
“ideological
baggage” with
a
“separatist
mindset”
and
stated
that
even
the
judges’
panel
appointed
by
the
Supreme
Court
had
raised
concerns
about
certain
civil
society
organisations
attempting
to
“keep
the
pot
boiling.”

Chief
Justice
Khanna
enquired
about
the
timeline
for
the
forensic
report’s
completion,
asking,
“I
have
not
gone
into
the
contents
and
veracity
of
the
recordings,
when
will
SFL
reports
come?”
The
SG
responded
that
the
forensic
reports
could
be
submitted.

Bhushan
maintained
that
the
‘Truth
Labs’
report
carried
“more
credibility
than
any
government
agencies’
report.”

In
its
order,
the
bench
stated,
“Relist
in
the
week
commencing
on
March
24,
2025.
It
is
pointed
out
that
audio
clips
are
sent
for
examination
by
CFSL.
The
report
will
be
produced
in
sealed
cover.”

The
bench
also
clarified
that
the
preliminary
objection
raised
by
the
SG
remained
open
for
further
consideration.

Previously,
a
bench
comprising
then-Chief
Justice
of
India
DY
Chandrachud,
Justice
JB
Pardiwala,
and
Justice
Manoj
Misra
had
asked
the
petitioner
to
provide
material
verifying
the
authenticity
of
the
audio
clips.
Subsequently,
the
petitioner
submitted
the
‘Truth
Labs’
analysis.



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