IMPHAL, Jan 28: Controversy has erupted following the circulation of leaked audio tapes allegedly featuring telephonic conversations involving Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, leading to a petition before the Supreme Court for a court-monitored investigation. The tapes, which are claimed to reveal Singh’s involvement in inciting ethnic violence in the state, have sparked public outcry and prompted the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust to file a plea for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.

On January 28, 2025, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna addressed the matter and indicated that the Supreme Court might consider advancing the hearing of the petition. The plea, represented by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, requests an SIT investigation into the content of the leaked audio tapes. Bhushan had earlier filed a written submission requesting an urgent hearing, stressing that the petitioner had complied with the court’s November 11, 2024 directive to submit evidence, including the tapes. However, CJI Khanna advised Bhushan to submit a written request for the hearing’s advancement, indicating that the court would consider the request if the urgency was established.

The petition claims that the leaked tapes, provided by a whistleblower, capture conversations in which CM Singh allegedly incited violence, leading to ongoing ethnic tensions in the state. The case had originally been scheduled for hearing on February 7, 2025, but the petitioner has requested an expedited hearing, citing ongoing harassment in the region.

In response, Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had previously urged the court to refrain from entertaining the petition, suggesting that Bhushan should have approached the Manipur High Court first before moving the Supreme Court. Despite this, the Supreme Court is now considering whether to expedite the hearing based on the urgency presented by the petitioner.