The 48-minute recording was made at a meeting where the Chief Minister allegedly revealed his role in the violence.
Ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, including nine from the BJP, have called for Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s prosecution if he is found “guilty of his crimes” in connection with an audio clip known as the “Manipur Tapes.” This demand was sparked by a three-part investigative report published by The Wire on August 19. The report highlighted the alleged involvement of the Manipur CM in the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, 2023.
The legislators pointed to the “Manipur Tapes,” in which CM Biren Singh allegedly “candidly boasted” about his participation in the ethnic persecution of the tribal Kuki-Zo community. They claimed that his involvement in state-backed ethnic cleansing had been clearly established.
The Manipur government dismissed the allegations twice: first on August 7, when the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) released a portion of the audio clip, and again on August 20, following The Wire’s report on the issue, claiming the recording was a “manipulated audio” designed to stir communal tensions and undermine the peace process in the state.
The Manipur’s directorate of information and public relations said that the police are investigating the issue and will soon uncover the sources behind this “defamatory campaign.” The government has also warned legal action against individuals and organisations involved in the conspiracy.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and refrain from sharing unverified information. The restoration of peace and harmony amongst our communities is of utmost importance at this juncture, more than ever. The state government will not tolerate any action that threatens to disrupt the peace process.”
Earlier, an FIR was filed with the Cyber Crime police station in Imphal after the appearance of the audio clip on social media.
The Wire report includes the alleged recording, although it clarified that it had not independently verified the tape. The report notes that the audio clip has been submitted to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to investigate the violence in Manipur. The CoI is chaired by Justice (Retd) Ajai Lamba, a former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
The 48-minute recording was made at a meeting where the Chief Minister allegedly revealed his role in the violence.
“Some persons claiming to have been participants at the meeting assert that the voice is indeed of Chief Minister Biren Singh and that he did say all the things in the recording in their presence,” the news report alleged.
The report says, “The recording we are publishing today captures the voice alleged to be of the Chief Minister mocking Union home minister Amit Shah, discussing the use of ‘bombs’ in the state, and bragging about defying Shah’s orders.”
The report also alleges that the audio recording supports claims of the use of “lethally destructive ammunition” in some parts of the state last year. It accuses Biren Singh of allegedly protecting those involved in looting thousands of firearms from state police armouries. The individual in the recording allegedly claims that no arrests were made in connection with the thefts and that if any arrests were to happen, efforts would be made to secure their release once tensions settled.
The report, citing “reliable sources”, also says that despite pressure from the Union government, including a video conference in which Shah warned Singh about the political repercussions of failing to recover the stolen arms, Singh had failed to recover the weapons.
The Kuki MLAs have called for Biren Singh’s removal to prevent him from influencing the outcome of the investigation into his actions. They pointed to the recording, where Singh can allegedly be heard assuring his audience — believed to be members of his militia based on his tone and delivery — that central agencies would have to arrest him before arresting anyone else, and advising them to delay appearing when summoned to give him time to intervene.
The legislators also alleged that the Manipur CM boasted about preventing any arrests related to the theft of 4,000-5,000 weapons and ammunition from state forces. The MLAs also stated that Rajendro Nong, brother of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, confirmed the tapes’ authenticity by posting a threat on Facebook to those who had leaked the sensitive recordings.
“We once again appeal to the Government of India to expedite our demand for separate administration in the form of UT with Legislature, as that alone is the path to lasting peace in the region,” the press note concluded.
The ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kukis, which erupted on May 3 last year, resulted in at least 226 deaths and displaced approximately 60,000 people.
