On November 20, 2025, the Supreme Court of India received a significant affidavit from the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHRT), challenging a confidential forensic report related to sensitive audio recordings allegedly implicating former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in inciting ethnic conflict in the state. The controversy centers around the authenticity and integrity of these audio tapes, which were initially examined by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gujarat. The NFSU’s findings had concluded that the recordings were “modified, edited, and tampered,” casting doubt on their reliability. However, KOHRT has raised serious concerns about how the forensic examination was conducted and the completeness of the material submitted for analysis.
The background to this legal dispute involves the submission of audio recordings by a whistle-blower. These recordings purportedly contain telephonic conversations of the former Chief Minister that suggest his role in fomenting ethnic violence in Manipur. The Manipur police forwarded these recordings to the NFSU for forensic verification. Upon review, the NFSU reported that the audio clips were not original but had been altered, which questioned their credibility as evidence. The Supreme Court, while hearing the matter earlier in November, took note of the NFSU’s forensic report and instructed that it be shared with the petitioner, granting two weeks for a response affidavit.
In its affidavit, KOHRT revealed that the Manipur police had sent only a fraction of the original recording to the forensic lab. Instead of the full-length recording lasting 48 minutes and 46 seconds, the police transmitted merely four short clips totaling under five minutes. This selective submission of “cut-out clips,” as described by KOHRT chairman H.S. Mate, severely hampered the ability of the NFSU to verify the continuity and authenticity of the entire conversation. According to Mate, this incomplete material also prevented the Central Forensic Science Laboratory from conducting its own examination. This critical gap in the evidence chain calls into question the validity of the NFSU’s conclusion that the recordings were tampered with.
KOHRT expressed its surprise and dismay at discovering the discrepancies only after the forensic examination had been concluded. The organisation had originally submitted the complete audio recording and was unaware that the police had forwarded partial and edited clips to the forensic authorities. Mate emphasized that this situation led them to mistakenly believe that the full recording was under scrutiny, which was not the case. The affidavit highlighted that the NFSU’s analysis was limited to metadata and tampering detection techniques. The university reportedly declared the clips as “tampered” or even “AI-generated” based solely on discontinuities and processing traces, without performing a detailed auditory or spectrographic voice comparison that could have verified the speaker’s identity.
To bolster its claim, KOHRT also submitted a forensic analysis conducted independently by Truth Labs, a Hyderabad-based private non-profit forensic science laboratory known for its credibility and expertise. Established in 2007 by retired directors of various Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories, Truth Labs has a distinguished record of serving numerous courts and government agencies across India, including the Supreme Court, multiple High Courts, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the National Investigation Agency. The Truth Labs report found no continuity errors in the audio recordings and concluded with a 93% probability that the voice on the tapes was indeed that of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. This starkly contrasts with the NFSU’s findings and suggests a far greater degree of scientific rigor and reliability in the Truth Labs analysis.
Given these conflicting assessments, KOHRT urged the Supreme Court to mandate a court-monitored special investigation team (SIT) to conduct a comprehensive probe into the authenticity of the audio tapes and the broader implications of the alleged ethnic incitement. The organisation contended that the Supreme Court itself should not delve into the technical intricacies of forensic verification, as this is traditionally the role of investigative agencies equipped with the necessary expertise and resources. A dedicated SIT, KOHRT argued, would be best positioned to uncover the full truth, including any criminal conspiracy involved in the leak and dissemination of the recordings.
Mate further stated in the affidavit that the inconclusive nature of the NFSU’s forensic report should not be used as a basis to halt or stifle the ongoing investigation. He stressed that even if a thorough inquiry ultimately fails to uncover incriminating evidence, the authorities must formally close the case following legal procedures. However,