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

Audio clips allegedly implicating former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the 2023 ethnic violence were tampered with and not scientifically fit for voice comparison, the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL), Gandhinagar, told the Supreme Court on Monday.

In its report submitted to the top court after examining the audio clips purportedly containing the former Manipur Chief Minister’s voice, the NFSL said no opinion on similarity or dissimilarity of the speakers could be offered.

As advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), demanded that a copy of the NFSL’s report be shared with the parties so that they could respond to it, a Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe directed the NFSL to submit the final report to the parties to the case.

The Bench listed KOHUR’s petition seeking an independent SIT probe into the matter for further hearing on December 8.

Raising questions over the delay in submitting a fresh FSL report on the authenticity of audio clips allegedly implicating N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence in the state, the Supreme Court on August 4 wondered why it hasn’t been submitted even after three months.

“What happened to the forensic report? That should have come at least. This order was passed in May 2025. Three months have passed. By now, the forensic report laboratory must have given you a report. At least tell us whether the report has come or it’s still in the pipeline… This can’t go endlessly,” the Bench had told the CBI after petitioner’s counsel Prashant Bhushan said one year has passed since the emergence of the tapes but there was no official verification report available.