Patra meets BJP leaders amid demand for Prez rule removal

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra on Monday held a series of meetings with party leaders in Manipur, including former chief minister N Biren Singh, amid growing demand for the removal of President's rule in the state.

- Ayesha Arvind

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the credibility of a forensic report on the authenticity of leaked audio tapes that allegedly point to the role of former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the ethnic violence in the northeastern state, and directed the Centre to submit a fresh report.

A bench headed by chief justice of India Sanjiv Khanna issued the directions after opening the sealed cover report of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory submitted by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Monday. The court asked the law officer to seek instructions from the Centre on getting the Central FSL to re-examine the audio tapes. "The solicitor general to take fresh instructions on filing a fresh report after re-examination. Let it be relisted in the week commencing July 21, 2025," the bench, also comprising justice Sanjay Kumar, said after perusing the report.