Institute of Legal and Management Studies

The National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL), Gandhinagar, has informed the Supreme Court that the audio exhibits in the case relating to recordings allegedly implicating former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence which took place in 2023 were tampered with and not scientifically fit for voice comparison, and therefore, no opinion on similarity or dissimilarity of the speakers could be offered.

The finding came during the hearing of a plea seeking a court-monitored investigation into the audio clips, which purportedly relate to the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur last year.

A Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe was considering the matter on Monday. The Court, after perusing the sealed cover report submitted by NFSL, directed that its final report be furnished to the parties and listed the case for further hearing on December 8.

“Four exhibits showed signs of modification and tampering. Therefore, they conclude that the clips are altered and do not constitute the original source recording and are not scientifically fit for forensic voice comparison,” Justice Sanjay Kumar read from the NFSL report.

“Consequently, no opinion on similarity and dissimilarity of the speakers in question and the control clips can be offered,” the Bench noted.

Appearing for the petitioner Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, Advocate Prashant Bhushan referred to a separate forensic report prepared by Truth Labs, which found that the 50-minute recording (marked as Y1) was unedited and indicated a 93% probability that the voice matched that of the same person in the control sample.

Justice Kumar responded that the petitioner would be furnished with the NFSL report so that a response could be filed.

“We will give you the report so you can respond to it,” Justice Kumar said.

The Court accordingly ordered that the NFSL's final case report dated 10.10.2025 be made available to the counsel for the parties by the Registrar.

When Bhushan pointed out that Truth Labs had a credible record, Justice Kumar remarked, “We don't know, because this (NFSL) is supposed to be the premier forensic lab.”

Bhushan replied, “Yes, but it is a government lab. And your Lordships know that today when the government…”

"More than a year and half ago it was sent to the government and yet it remains uninvestigated by the government despite the very very damaging conversations and that," Bhushan added.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union Government, submitted that the NFSL report itself found tampering in the disputed recording.

“We have just shared the conclusions in that report which say that the disputed recording has been tampered with also." SG also advised against any intervention, saying that the situation of the state is now peaceful. "So otherwise also, it is now quite peaceful there and let's not meddle with that,” he said.

Counsel for the State of Manipur said he was unable to follow the conversation in the audio clip, to which Bhushan responded that the FSL experts have access to better tools and equipment to enhance clarity.

The Bench concluded the hearing, directing that copies of the NFSL report be furnished to both sides before the next date of hearing on December 8.

The Court was hearing the petition filed by Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust seeking a court monitored investigation into audio recordings allegedly implicating former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in the State's ethnic violence.

In August 2025, the Court had directed that the audio clips be sent for forensic examination to the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL), Gandhinagar, after noting that the earlier report from the Guwahati Forensic Sciences Laboratory did not clearly state whether the voice matched that of the Chief Minister.

The Court asked the NFSL to examine whether the clips had been edited or tampered with and whether the voice in the disputed clips matched the admitted sample. The laboratory was directed to submit its report to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover within six weeks.

On February 3, 2025, the Court had first sought a forensic report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) on the same tapes.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for the petitioner, had relied on a report by Truth Labs, a private forensic agency, which found a 93% match between the voice in the tapes and Singh's.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State, opposed the plea, contending that the petitioner should have approached the High Court first and informing the Court that an FIR had already been registered and verification requests had been sent to social media platforms that circulated the clips.

Thereafter, in May, the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in completing the forensic examination, observing that the analysis “cannot go on endlessly”.

Case no. – W.P.(C) No. 702/2024

Case Title – Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust v. Union of India