Kuki body asked for proof of ‘CM tape’

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Friday asked a Kuki organisation, which in its PIL claimed to have possessed a audio tape implicating Manipur CM N Biren Singh of fuelling violence and permitting looting of arms and ammunitions, to produce material indicating authenticity of the audio tape.

Appearing for petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan alleged before a bench headed by CJI D Y Chandrachud that the audio tape clearly demonstrated that the "CM was instrumental in inciting, organising and thereafter centrally orchestrating large-scale murder, destruction and other forms of violence in the Kuki-dominated areas in Manipur."

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta told the bench that entertaining such petitions by the SC would undermine the authority and jurisdiction of the Manipur HC which is competent to adjudicate this matter. "Is it because the petition is filed by Prashant Bhushan that the SC is entertaining it," the SG asked.

The SG said these are attempts by vested interests to keep the violence continuing when the efforts to restore peace in the state are succeeding. Attorney general R Venkataramani said, "What is disturbing is that such blatant attempts to derail the peace process are being made when the administration is succeeding in restoring peace." The bench said, "Before can consider the petition or the audio tape, the petitioner must file material indicating the authenticity of the tape. Bhushan says he will also file the audio tape in a sealed cover."

SG said that the govt can also produce audio tapes of those who are trying to disrupt the peace initiatives. However, when he said that the HC would be the ideal forum to adjudicate the issue and that the SC judges "sitting in ivory towers" may not be aware of the ground realities, the bench said, "We are not sitting in ivory towers. We are aware of what is happening in Manipur, and we cannot brush things under the carpet."

The SG said he did not say it in the pejorative sense, but this is an abuse of Article 32 by the PIL petitioner to move the SC directly when the HC could adjudicate the issue. Bhushan said Justice Lamba Commission was given the tape in July, but nothing has happened. SG said the investigations are going on.