The Supreme Court rebuked CFSL for focusing on “authenticity of video” instead of conducting the ordered voice comparison in the Biren Singh tape case.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, August 19, 2025 — The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong displeasure at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for failing to properly analyse audio recordings allegedly featuring former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, calling the exercise “misdirected.”
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma clarified that it had never asked CFSL to verify the authenticity of the video, but only to conduct a voice comparison test between the tape and Singh’s admitted voice samples.
“We are not asking for authenticity of the video. We want to know if, after testing, the same person is speaking in both samples. The entire exercise seems misdirected,” the bench remarked, adding that CFSL appeared under the wrong impression of the Court’s directions.
The bench directed CFSL to submit details of instructions it had received from the Union Government regarding the verification process, and asked for the documents before the next hearing on August 25.
The bench told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, “We don’t need authenticity of the video to be established. The entire exercise seems to be misdirected. Only wishy-washy answers are being given. The CFSL is under the impression that we want to know if the video is authentic or not.”
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The Court also rejected an application from Singh’s daughter to be impleaded in the matter.
“ As far as this I.A. for impleadment is concerned, we are rejecting it. This cannot become some sort of family-support program where the daughter comes forward merely to assist the Court. Unless a senior is required to assist, we do not permit such impleadments,” the court observed.
In the written order, the Court noted that, “ We find no ground to entertain this application filed by the family member of the former Chief Minister. Keeping such applications pending only invites unnecessary interventions from other organizations. Therefore, this application stands rejected.”
Calls for Independent Probe
Appearing for petitioner Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), Advocate Prashant Bhushan demanded a court-monitored SIT probe, alleging that CFSL cannot act independently since it functions under the administrative control of the same government Singh belongs to.
The bench pushed back, saying suspicion cannot be cast on every organisation merely because of administrative oversight, otherwise “we will have to bring an organisation from abroad.”
The latest CFSL submission is the second time the forensic agency has failed to give a clear finding. Its earlier report in May 2025 was also deemed inadequate by a bench led by then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, which had ordered a fresh analysis.
On August 4, the Court had already rebuked the government over the continuing delay, noting that a report first ordered in March was still pending. Justice Kumar had remarked then: “How long does it take an FSL to give a definite report on voice analysis? This cannot go endlessly.”
By contrast, Truth Labs, a private forensic laboratory chaired by former CJI M.N. Venkatachaliah, had submitted its report within 15 days, concluding with 93% certainty that the voice belonged to Singh. The government, however, dismissed it as unreliable, insisting only CFSL’s findings would be valid.
Explosive Allegations
The tapes, cited by KOHUR in its petition, allegedly capture Singh authorising Meitei groups to loot armories and avoid arrest during the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur in May 2023, leaving over 260 dead and thousands displaced.
Singh resigned on February 9, 2025, amid internal dissent within the BJP and mounting pressure over his handling of the crisis. Manipur has since been under President’s Rule.
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Bhushan told the bench the leaked recordings contain “disturbing conversations” that show complicity of the state machinery in the violence. The Union Government has consistently dismissed the allegations as “fabricated” and politically motivated.
With the next hearing scheduled for August 25, the spotlight will remain on whether CFSL can finally produce a conclusive report — or whether the controversy will continue to deepen.
