New Delhi, August 19: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction with the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) over its handling of an audio clip allegedly implicating former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the state’s ethnic conflict.

The two-judge bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice S C Sharma clarified that the court did not seek to know whether the clip produced by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) was authentic but rather wanted it tested against the “admitted voice” of Singh.

“We had not asked about the authenticity of the video. What we are asking for is, after testing that voice with the admitted voice of the individual, whether it can be identified that the same persons are speaking in both,” Justice Kumar told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati.

Calling CFSL’s approach “misdirected,” the bench said, “The entire exercise seems to be misdirected. Only wishy-washy answers are being given. CFSL is under the impression that we want to know if the video is authentic or not.”

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing KOHUR, raised questions about CFSL’s credibility, pointing out that it functions under the administrative control of the same government of which Singh was a part. He urged the court to instead seek a report from Truth Labs, a private forensic agency.

However, the bench appeared unconvinced. Justice Kumar remarked, “You cannot suspect the bona fides of every organisation on the ground of administrative control.” The court also expressed reservations about relying on a private organisation’s findings, instead asking to understand the process CFSL had followed.

The matter has a long history before the apex court. On November 8, 2024, a three-judge bench headed by then Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, had questioned the authenticity of the “tapes” and asked KOHUR to submit material establishing their genuineness. Bhushan had maintained that the audio originated from a whistleblower whose identity could not be disclosed.

In February 2025, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the purported tape had been sent to CFSL in November 2024. A subsequent bench comprising then CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed that the CFSL report be submitted in a sealed cover.

The report was later perused by a bench led by CJI Khanna on May 5, after which Mehta was asked to take fresh instructions for a new forensic assessment.

The apex court has now scheduled the next hearing for August 25, 2025, while Bhati assured the bench that further information on CFSL’s process will be provided.