The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that a forensic report on the authenticity of leaked audio clips alleging the role of former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence in the state was ready and would be filed shortly in a sealed cover.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna took note of the submissions of a lawyer appearing for the Centre and the state government, and deferred the hearing on a petition filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) to the week starting May 5.
The lawyer said the report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) will be filed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and sought an adjournment, saying the law officer was unavailable at the moment.
Mr Singh resigned as chief minister of Manipur on February 9, amid rumblings within the state BJP and growing demands for a change of leadership.
Earlier, the Supreme Court sought a sealed-cover forensic report from the CFSL on the authenticity of the leaked audio clips alleging Mr Singh's role in the ethnic violence that began in May 2023.
KOHUR, represented by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, had sought a court-monitored SIT probe into Singh's alleged role.
"The state is gradually limping back to normalcy and we will keep it (the matter) on hold at the moment," the Chief Justice had said, adding he would see later whether the Supreme Court or the high court should hear the case.
The Solicitor General agreed with the observations.
Mr Bhushan termed the contents of the audio leaks a "very serious matter", and said Mr Singh was purportedly heard saying Meitei groups were allowed to loot arms and ammunition of the state government.
"I have annexed transcripts of tape recordings," he added.
The Solicitor General said the petitioner had "ideological inclinations" and there was a report by a committee of three high court judges which said there were efforts to keep the "pot boiling".
"A Truth Labs report confirmed 93 per cent voice match of the [former] chief minister," said Mr Bhushan, "Truth Labs reports are far more reliable than the FSL reports."
The government's lawyer, however, questioned the veracity of the Truth Labs report.
On November 8 last year, a Supreme Court bench headed by former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud told KOHUR to produce material to indicate the authenticity of some of the leaked audio clips. Mr Bhushan had said he would also file a copy of the tape in a CD format.
Mr Mehta, however, said the petition could be filed in the high court under Article 226 of the Constitution.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced since the ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes in May 2023.
Mr Bhushan alleged the recorded conversation prima facie showed the complicity and involvement of the state machinery in the violence against the Kuki Zo community. He said the clips had "disturbing conversations" and Mr Singh could be heard instigating violence and protecting attackers.
KOHUR's plea alleged Mr Singh was instrumental in "inciting, organising and thereafter centrally orchestrating the large-scale murder, destruction and other forms of violence against the Kuki-dominated areas in Manipur".
"Petitioner is praying for a court-monitored investigation by a special investigation team into the leaked audio tape clips as there is clear and strong prima facie evidence showing involvement of the highest functionary, i.e., chief minister of a state. The investigation would need to unearth the conspiracy which appears to involve the highest functionary of state," it said.
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