NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought Central Forensic Science Laboratory‘s report on audio clips, which, a Kuki group has claimed, have Manipur CM N Biren Singh purportedly boasting how he allowed Meitei militants to loot the state armoury to target tribals during the ethnic conflict.
Aware that state appears to be limping to normalcy after a year and half of intense ethnic clashes that began in May 2023 and saw over 200 deaths, SC asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta to produce the report in six weeks in a sealed cover.
A Supreme Court bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta to produce the report, on audio clips purportedly of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, in six weeks, in a sealed cover to avoid reigniting the strife.
Mehta said that the matter could very well be heard by Manipur high court. The SG flagged what he described as the separatist ideological orientation of the petitioner.
“This civil society organisation wants to keep the pot boiling and does not want peace to return to the state,” he said. The bench said it would keep aside the issue of as to which court, Supreme Court or high court, should hear the matter. It posted further hearing on March 24.
Appearing for the Kuki group, advocate Prashant Bhushan alleged that a person during the meeting with Biren Singh had secretly recorded the chief minister who was purportedly boasting about allowing Meitei militants to loot the armoury and how he protected them.
“The transcript of the audio clips are very serious,” he said. He demanded that matter be sent to Truth Lab, claiming that the forensic laboratory is far more efficient than any govt-run CFSL.
On Nov 8 last year, SC had asked Bhushan to “file before this court all material indicating the authenticity of the clip”. It also kept open for consideration the availability of alternative remedies to the petitioner for resorting to Article 226 and raising the issue before the high court.
Violence had erupted in Kuki-dominated tribal areas in May 2023 after Manipur HC asked the state govt to respond to a 10-year-old communication from Centre on the demand of Meiteis to be granted ST status like the Kukis, who feared that the development posed a risk to their hold over “reserved” jobs.