The Supreme Court has asked the government’s forensic lab, CFSL, to investigate leaked audio tapes that allegedly feature Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. A petition from the Kuki tribes claims the tapes show Singh encouraging the violence in Manipur.

During the hearing, Justice PV Sanjay Kumar raised the issue of whether he should step down from the case since he had attended a dinner hosted by the Manipur Chief Minister when he was appointed to the Supreme Court.

However, the petitioner's lawyer, Prashant Bhushan, said there was no need for Justice Kumar to step down, and assured the bench, which also included Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, that there was no issue.

Prashant Bhushan, who represented the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, told the court that the non-profit Truth Labs had confirmed that 93% of the audio tapes matched Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh's voice. Truth Labs, established in 2007, is India's first non-government forensic lab.However, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta argued that the report from Truth Labs should not be trusted. He added that the audio clips had been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for further analysis.

The Supreme Court has asked the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to look into the leaked audio tapes and submit a report. The court will hear the case again in the week starting March 24. Chief Justice Khanna told the Solicitor General to ensure the report is filed within a month and added, "Let it be examined, and let's avoid this becoming another issue."

About Manipur violence

The violence in Manipur is about the Meitei community's demand to be recognised as a Scheduled Tribe (ST). This status provides special benefits, such as reserved seats in schools, government jobs, and other support programs designed to help disadvantaged groups. The Meiteis mostly live in the valley areas of the state. In April 2023, the Manipur High Court supported this demand and asked the state government to consider it.

The Kuki and Naga tribes, who live in the hills, strongly oppose the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. They believe the Meiteis already have more economic advantages and political power. The hill tribes worry that if the Meiteis get ST status, they will lose their share of the limited resources and opportunities meant for disadvantaged groups.

 

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