Supreme Court Orders FSL Examination Of Mobile Device Containing Alleged Hate Speech Voice Clip Of UP Police Officer

The Supreme Court has ordered the forensic examination of the mobile phone containing an alleged audio clip in which Uttar Pradesh DIG Sanjeev Tyagi, then Superintendent of Police of Bijnor, is purportedly heard making anti-Muslim remarks.The bench comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice K Vinod Chandran directed the Superintendent of Police, Bijnor, to ensure the safe delivery of the seized device to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad.The direction was passed while considering an application seeking modification of the Court's earlier order that had required DIG Tyagi to submit his voice sample for comparison. The matter arises from a petition filed by Islamuddin Ansari seeking quashing of a criminal case registered against him.On December 8, the Supreme Court had quashed the criminal proceedings against Ansari, noting that the FIR appeared to have been lodged after he proposed to initiate legal action over the audio clip allegedly featuring objectionable remarks by Tyagi, who was serving as SP, Bijnor, at the relevant time.When the matter was taken up again on December 12 on an interlocutory application seeking modification, the Court was informed that the mobile phone on which the audio was recorded was already in police custody. In view of this, the Court directed the SP, Bijnor, to ensure the safe delivery of the seized device to the Director of the FSL, Hyderabad.The Court recorded, “The Superintendent of Police, District Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, is directed to ensure the safe delivery of any device, including the mobile phone which may have been seized from the petitioner, to the Director, FSL, Hyderabad.”The case dates back to March 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic. According to the petitioner, he had forwarded the audio clip to the then SP, Bijnor, seeking confirmation as to whether the voice in the clip was his. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against Ansari under Section 505 of the IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act, alleging that he had spread rumours with the intent to incite communal enmity.A chargesheet was filed and cognisance was taken by the Chief Judicial Magistrate in 2021. After the Allahabad High Court declined to quash the proceedings, Ansari approached the Supreme Court.The matter will now be heard on January 12 at 3:30 pm.Case Details: Islamuddin Ansari vs State of Uttar Pradesh, SLP (Crl) No. 14997 of 2025.Click here to read the order

Supreme Court Orders FSL Examination Of Mobile Device Containing Alleged Hate Speech Voice Clip Of UP Police Officer

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

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