Manipur clashes: Did CM Biren Singh instigate violence? Supreme Court seeks forensic report on audio clips

Manipur clashes: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has requested a forensic report on audio clips allegedly featuring Chief Minister N Biren Singh instigating ethnic violence. The forensic lab report of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) on some audio tapes linking Biren Singh to the Manipur ethnic clashes has to be submitted to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover.

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The order demanding a lab report on the audio clips was issued by a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar.

Manipur clashes: What are in the audio tapes?

As reported by LiveLaw, advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, presented audio tapes that were verified by “Truth Labs,” which confirmed with over 93 per cent certainty that the voice on the tapes belongs to Chief Minister Biren Singh.

Bhushan claimed that in the recordings, Singh could be heard saying he allowed Meitei groups to loot the State armoury and ensured their protection from arrest.

The report further noted that the CM's comments, made during a closed-door meeting, were allegedly recorded by someone present at the meeting and later leaked. Bhushan called it a “serious issue”, suggesting the Chief Minister was instigating and abetting ethnic violence.

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Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, representing the state, reiterated his preliminary objection that the petitioner should first approach the High Court. He also informed the court that an FIR had been filed, and an investigation was underway, LiveLaw reported.

The investigating agency had contacted the Twitter accounts that uploaded the audio clips for verification, and the tapes had been sent for forensic examination. Mehta further argued that the petitioner was carrying certain “ideological baggage” and had a “separatist mindset”.

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The Chief Justice of India (CJI), Khanna, asked, “When will the SFL (Forensic Science Laboratory) reports come?” The Solicitor General responded that the forensic reports could be produced at a later stage.

Militant arrested in Manipur

A militant from the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) was arrested in Imphal West district of Manipur, police said on Monday, as reported by PTI. The insurgent, identified as 29-year-old Leihaothabam Nanao Sharma, was allegedly involved in extorting government employees, shopkeepers, and the general public in the Greater Imphal area, according to a police officer.

(With inputs from agencies)