SC Orders Fresh Forensic Probe into Audio Linking Biren Singh to Manipur Violence

The Supreme Court has ordered a fresh forensic examination of an audio clip allegedly linking former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh to the 2023 ethnic violence, bringing renewed focus to a politically sensitive and legally complex case.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran directed the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, to analyse the recording and compare the voice in the clip with admitted voice samples of Singh to verify its authenticity. The direction followed submissions by advocate Prashant Bhushan , appearing for the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), who told the court that a complete audio recording of over two-and-a-half hours had now been submitted, replacing earlier partial clips.

The case centres on a leaked audio recording that allegedly suggests possible involvement of the state machinery during the violence in Manipur in 2023. Based on this, KOHUR has sought an independent SIT probe , arguing that a fair investigation requires external oversight. The plea also alleges that N Biren Singh may have played a role in inciting or enabling the violence , allegations that remain unproven and under judicial scrutiny.

The court has directed that the pen drive containing the first copy of the original audio be shared with all parties and forwarded to the NFSU. The forensic experts will examine whether the clip was edited or tampered with , and whether the voice matches that of Singh. Earlier, on January 7 , the court had ordered analysis of a 48-minute segment , but later expressed concern over selective submissions.

Previous findings by the NFSU indicated that the clips showed signs of tampering , making them unreliable for voice comparison. However, the petitioner has cited another forensic report claiming at least one version is unedited , adding to the complexity of the case.

The controversy is rooted in the ethnic clashes that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, leaving over 260 people dead and thousands displaced. Amid mounting pressure, N Biren Singh resigned in February last year .

The court’s latest order places the spotlight on scientific evidence , which could prove crucial in establishing facts and accountability.