Rule of law must prevail: CoTU over former Manipur CM Biren Singh’s leaked audio tapes

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, has raised serious concerns over a series of leaked audio tapes involving former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh allegedly making inflammatory remarks against tribal communities. The organization has demanded urgent accountability from both state and Central authorities, insisting that the “rule of law must prevail.”

The recordings, which CoTU claims to have been subjected to forensic analysis by Truth Labs Forensic Science Services, reportedly carry a 93 per cent probability of authenticity. According to the group, the remarks link directly to the ethnic conflict that engulfed Manipur in May 2023, leaving deep scars on the state’s tribal population.

“These revelations cannot be brushed aside. This cannot go on endlessly,” CoTU said in a statement on August 24, urging institutions to act decisively.

The disclosures surface just a day before the Supreme Court is set to hear Writ Petition (Civil) No. 702/2024, filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights (KOHR). The petition, listed for hearing in Court No. 13 on August 25, seeks:

Accountability for targeted violence against tribal communities,

Justice and reparations for victims, and an independent probe into alleged state-sponsored atrocities.

Despite two years of turmoil, several pressing questions remain unresolved:

What is the status of the CFSL forensic report ordered in May 2025 to verify the leaked tapes?

Why has there been no official update on KOHR’s petition?

How much longer must tribal communities endure violence without justice or recognition of their rights?

Reiterating its position, CoTU appealed to democratic institutions across the country:

“The people of Manipur especially its tribal communities demand answers, accountability, and above all, justice. We call upon the judiciary, media, civil society, and all democratic forces to rise in solidarity and uphold the rule of law.”