IMPHAL, Nov 7: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) has raised serious concerns over the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL) report submitted to the Supreme Court regarding the purported audiotapes of former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, allegedly linked to the ongoing ethnic violence in the state. The ITLF has called the NFSL’s findings deeply troubling, pointing to potential bias and lack of accountability in the report.
The NFSL, in its submission to the Supreme Court, stated that it was “not in a position” to authenticate the audiotapes or confirm the identity of the voices on the tapes, citing claims of tampering. The Gujarat-based forensic laboratory also concluded that the audio evidence was “tampered with” and unfit for voice comparison, a statement that the ITLF has criticized as evasive, raising doubts about the credibility of government-run institutions in handling sensitive issues related to human rights violations.
The audiotapes in question are central to an ongoing petition filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, which has sought a court-monitored probe into the recordings. The tapes allegedly feature the voice of Biren Singh, indicating his alleged involvement in and complicity with the violence affecting the state’s Kuki-Zo community. These claims of partisanship have fueled growing calls for a deeper investigation into the role of state leadership in the unrest.
In its statement, the ITLF expressed frustration over the inability of the government’s forensic lab to verify the authenticity of the tapes, contrasting this with the findings of a private forensic agency that had previously linked the tapes to Biren Singh. The ITLF has called for an independent investigation, asserting that the delay and apparent bias in official investigations only exacerbate the mistrust between the state authorities and the affected communities.
The ITLF’s concerns come at a time when tensions remain high in Manipur due to ethnic violence that has displaced thousands and claimed numerous lives, primarily among the Kuki-Zo community. The ITLF’s allegations of bias in the NFSL’s findings further highlight the growing distrust in the investigative process, with many calling for a transparent and impartial inquiry into the violence and the role of state actors.
