Photo Courtesy: nenews
Imphal: The Centre urged the Supreme Court on August 7 to toss a petition seeking a probe into audio clips allegedly linking former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh to the 2023 ethnic violence. Federal lawyers cited a National Forensic Sciences University report claiming the recordings were manipulated. The clips remain disputed. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told the bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva that the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, found evidence of multiple edits. Bhati stated, based on details from a Central Forensic Science Laboratory doctor, that the audio showed 41 alterations.
The six-page report, prepared by Dr. Surbhi Mathur and dated July 30, 2026, will be shared with all parties in sealed covers. The court emphasized the findings must remain confidential. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), challenged the report. He pointed to an earlier analysis by private firm Truth Labs which he claimed found a "93 per cent match" between the voices in the recording and Singh. The court adjourned the matter to allow both sides to study the document.
This legal battle centers on allegations that Singh admitted he had "fuelled insurgency and protected those who looted the arms" during the state's ethnic unrest. The petitioner originally submitted a 48-minute clip in 2025. Following subsequent court orders, a longer version totaling two hours and 26 minutes was provided for analysis. The NFSU had previously stated it could not confirm the authenticity of the recordings, essentially giving Singh a clean chit at that time. Violence in Manipur, which claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands since May 2023, sparked after a Tribal Solidarity March opposed a High Court order regarding Meitei Scheduled Tribe status. Singh resigned as chief minister on February 9 last year amid BJP leadership pressure.
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