Did Manipur Chief Minister Stoke Violence? Supreme Court Seeks Government Lab Report
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has sought a report from the government forensic laboratory CFSL on leaked audio tapes purportedly of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who a petitioner of the Kuki tribes alleged instigated the Manipur violence.
At the beginning of the hearing today, Justice PV Sanjay Kumar asked whether he should recuse from the hearing as he attended a dinner hosted by the Manipur Chief Minister when he was elevated to the Supreme Court.
In response, the petitioner’s lawyer Prashant Bhushan said Justice Kumar need not recuse himself.
“No problem, not one bit,” Mr Bhushan told the two-judge bench also comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.
Mr Bhushan, who represented the petitioner, Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, said the non-profit Truth Labs confirmed that 93 per cent of the audio tapes matched Mr Singh’s voice.
Truth Labs, set up in 2007, is India’s first non-government full-fledged forensic lab.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta said the report of Truth Labs cannot be relied on. The audio clips have been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), he said.
“Truth Labs reports are far more reliable than CFSL reports,” Mr Bhushan replied.
After hearing the submissions, the Supreme Court sought a report from the CFSL in a sealed cover and listed the matter for hearing again in the week beginning March 24.
“I don’t know the veracity of the transcript also… When will the CFSL report come? Let it be examined. Let it not become another issue. File a report within one month,” Chief Justice Khanna told the Solicitor General.
“The state is limping back now. We have to also see if this court should hear this matter or the high court should,” Chief Justice Khanna said.
Mr Bhushan said the audio clips were recorded by a person during a closed-door meeting with the Manipur Chief Minister.
To this, Mr Mehta replied the investigators have approached the person who uploaded the audio clips on X.
“There is also another issue… The petitioner carries a baggage… wants to keep the pot boiling,” Mr Mehta said.
