The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to file a report within six weeks regarding the authenticity of certain audio clips alleging Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s role in the ethnic clashes that rocked the state in 2023 and 2024.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar observed that it would first like to see the FSL report over the matter before proceeding with the petition filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust.
Noting that the State of Manipur was limping back to normalcy, after witnessing ethnic clashes in 2023 and 2024, the Bench initially observed that it would have to see whether this Court should hear the petition directly or let the High Court look into it first.
Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted that transcripts of the audio recordings placed on record before the Apex Court clearly showed that the Chief Minister allowed arms to be looted by one group before the Manipur riots took place.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta questioned the motive of the petitioner organisation. He contended that the organisation had ideological inclinations of separatists sorts. The SG further mentioned a report submitted by a three-judge committee on the matter. Such petitions were filed only to keep the pot boiling, he added.
Noting that the report placed on record was by a non-governmental forensic lab, Truth Labs, Advocate Bhushan submitted that 93 percent of voice in the audio recordings was confirmed to belong to the Chief Minister.
While the petitioner’s counsel maintained that the findings by Truth Labs were far more reliable than that of government FSL reports, SG Mehta expressed doubts over the credibility of such a report.
The Apex Court then sought a report by FSL and listed the matter for further hearing on March 24.
During the course of hearing, Justice Sanjay Kumar revealed that he attended a dinner hosted by the Manipur CM after elevation to the Apex Court. He asked the petitioner whether he should recuse from hearing the case.
Advocate Bhushan replied that the petitioner did not have any objection against Justice Kumar hearing the matter.