Mon Feb 03 14:53:15 IST 2025: ## Supreme Court Awaits Forensic Report on Manipur CM Audio Tapes

**New Delhi, February 3, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India adjourned a hearing on Monday regarding alleged audio recordings implicating Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in the state’s ethnic violence. The court is awaiting a report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to verify the authenticity of the tapes, which were submitted by the Kuki Organisation for Human Trust.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the government had forwarded the recordings to the CFSL and requested individuals who posted the material on X (formerly Twitter) to provide original copies. While the petitioner’s own analysis, conducted by Truth Labs, indicated a 93% probability that the voice on the tapes belonged to Mr. Singh, the Solicitor General dismissed this, citing Truth Labs’ private status. The petitioner’s counsel argued that Truth Labs reports have been widely accepted as evidence in court.

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna acknowledged the ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in Manipur and indicated that the court might consider transferring the case to the Manipur High Court. The hearing also saw Justice Sanjay Kumar, who previously served as Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court, disclose that he had dined with Chief Minister Singh before his Supreme Court appointment. Justice Kumar offered to recuse himself if needed, an offer declined by the petitioner’s lawyers.

The Solicitor General also suggested the petitioner might have “ideological baggage,” claiming that reports from a Supreme Court-appointed committee indicated civil society organizations were trying to prolong the conflict.

The petition alleges that the Chief Minister orchestrated the violence against the Kuki community, referencing an approximately 48-minute audio recording that allegedly depicts his complicity in the 2023 conflict. The petition seeks a court-monitored investigation by a Special Investigation Team. The Manipur government has previously denounced the leaked audio as “anti-national” activity.

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