NFSL says leaked audio clips alleging ex-Manipur CM's role tampered with: SC

New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday observed that the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL) at Gujarat has said the leaked audio clips, which allegedly pointed to the purported role of former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the 2023 ethnic violence in the state, were "tampered with".

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Alok Aradhe observed that according to the NFSL's report, the audio clips exhibited signs of editing and tampering and were not scientifically fit for forensic voice comparison.

"Consequently, no opinion regarding the similarity or dissimilarity of the speakers in the question and the controlled clips can be offered," the bench said, while referring to the NFSL's report.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) which has sought an independent SIT probe into the matter.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for KOHUR, said that a copy of the NFSL's report be shared with the parties so that they could respond to it.

The bench directed the apex court registry to submit a copy of the report to the counsel appearing for the parties and posted the matter for hearing on December 8.

The bench observed that according to the report, the audio clips do not constitute the original source recordings and are not scientifically fit for forensic voice comparison.

Bhushan referred to a separate forensic report and said it had found that one of the recordings was unedited.

"We have just shared the final conclusions in that report (of NFSL) which say that the disputed recording has been tampered with," the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who also appeared in the matter.

"It is now quite peaceful there...," Mehta said.

On August 19, the top court expressed displeasure over Central Forensic Science Laboratory's (CFSL's) exercise to test the audio recordings, pointing to the alleged role of the former Manipur chief minister in the ethnic violence, calling it "misdirected".

While hearing the plea on August 25, the apex court referred the matter to NFSL, Gandhi Nagar, to examine the audio clips in question to determine whether they were modified, edited or tampered with in any manner.

It also asked the NFSL to determine whether the voice in the disputed audio clips matches the voice in the admitted audio clip, so as to give a clear finding that it was the same person who was speaking in all the audio clips.

On May 5, the apex court examined a forensic report on the authenticity of the leaked audio clips and asked the state government to file a fresh report on the probe.

Singh resigned as the chief minister of Manipur on February 9, amid rumblings within the state BJP and growing demands for a change in leadership.

The top court had previously sought a sealed-cover forensic report from the CFSL on the authenticity of the leaked audio clips, alleging Singh's role in the ethnic violence that began in May 2023.

On November 8 last year, the apex court directed KOHUR to produce material to indicate the authenticity of some of the leaked audio clips.

Over 260 people were killed and thousands displaced since the ethnic violence broke out between the Imphal valley-based Meitei and neighbouring hills-based Kuki communities in May 2023.

The clashes began after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against an order of the Manipur High Court on the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Bhushan alleged that the recorded conversation prima facie showed the complicity and involvement of the state machinery in the violence against the Kuki Zo community.

KOHUR's plea alleged that Singh was instrumental in "inciting, organising and thereafter centrally orchestrating the large-scale murder, destruction and other forms of violence against the Kuki-dominated areas in Manipur". PTI ABA ABA KSS KSS