Did Chief Minister Biren Singh Incite Manipur Violence? Supreme Court Orders Forensic Report on Audio Tapes

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a report from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) regarding audio tapes that allegedly contain the voice of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The tapes, which were presented in a petition by the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, suggest that Singh played a role in instigating the ongoing ethnic violence in the state. The court has ordered that the forensic report be submitted in a sealed cover and scheduled the next hearing for March 24.

At the outset of the hearing, Justice PV Sanjay Kumar raised concerns about whether he should recuse himself from the case, as he had recently attended a dinner hosted by the Manipur Chief Minister. However, Prashant Bhushan, the lawyer representing the petitioner, assured the court that there was no need for recusal.

The audio tapes, examined by an independent forensic lab called Truth Labs, allegedly contain statements from Biren Singh that suggest his involvement in the violence. Bhushan informed the bench that the lab’s analysis had matched the voice on the tapes with Singh’s voice by over 93%. According to Bhushan, the tapes reveal Singh admitting to allowing Meitei groups to loot the state’s armoury and providing them with protection from arrest. The tapes were reportedly recorded during a closed-door meeting and later leaked to the public.

The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, passed an order to procure the CFSL's forensic report. The report is expected to be presented in a sealed cover by the next hearing. Bhushan emphasised the seriousness of the issue, claiming the tapes demonstrated the Chief Minister’s role in instigating and abetting ethnic violence.

On the other hand, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the state, raised a preliminary objection, suggesting that the petitioner should first approach the High Court. Mehta informed the bench that an FIR had been filed regarding the matter, and the investigation was underway. He also pointed out that the authorities had reached out to Twitter accounts that uploaded the recordings for verification purposes.

Mehta further asserted that the petitioner seemed to carry an “ideological baggage” with a “separatist mindset” and criticized certain civil society groups for allegedly attempting to “keep the pot boiling.” Despite these objections, Chief Justice Khanna sought to clarify the status of the forensic reports, with Mehta confirming they could be produced for the court.

Bhushan countered, stating that the report from Truth Labs, which certified a 93% match of the voice to Biren Singh, carried more credibility than any government agency’s report. The court clarified that the objections raised by the Solicitor General would be addressed in due course.

Previously, a bench led by then Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had asked the petitioner to provide materials confirming the authenticity of the audio recordings. In response, the petitioner had submitted the analysis conducted by Truth Labs.

The ethnic violence in Manipur erupted on May 3, 2023, between the Meitei and the Kuki communities over issues related to quotas and economic benefits. The Centre has since deployed security forces to the region, reducing incidents of violence in peripheral areas.​