Forensic Report Finds Tapes on ex-Manipur CM Tampered
NFSL report finds whistleblower audiotapes “modified and unfit” for voice comparison; SC to hear case again on December 8
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL), Gujarat, had found that the leaked audio clips allegedly implicating former Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh in the 2023 ethnic violence were “tampered with.”
A two-judge bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Alok Aradhe noted that, according to the NFSL report, the audio clips showed signs of editing and manipulation and were not scientifically fit for forensic voice comparison.
The bench said, “Consequently, no opinion regarding the similarity or dissimilarity of the speakers in question and the controlled clips can be offered.”
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) seeking an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for KOHUR, urged the court to share a copy of the NFSL report with all parties so that they could respond to its findings.
The bench directed the Supreme Court registry to provide copies of the report to the respective counsels and posted the matter for further hearing on December 8.
The court reiterated that, as per the NFSL report, the submitted clips were not original source recordings and were “scientifically unfit” for comparison.
Bhushan also referred to another forensic report that had found one of the recordings to be unedited.
“We have shared the final conclusions of the NFSL report, which state that the disputed recordings were tampered with,” the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the case.
Responding briefly, Mehta remarked, “It is now quite peaceful there...”
