SC Directs Senior UP Police Officer Accused Of Anti-Muslim Remarks To Give Voice Samp
SC Directs Senior UP Police Officer Accused Of Anti-Muslim Remarks To Give Voice Sample
M.U.H
10/12/202516
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the forensic examination of a voice clip in which a deputy inspector general of police from Uttar Pradesh, Sanjeev Tyagi, is allegedly heard using objectionable language against Muslims.
A plea filed by one Islamuddin Ansari came up for hearing before a bench comprising justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and K Vinod Chandran. The bench noted that Uttar Pradesh government counsel at the outset submitted that the state has filed a petition before the court concerned seeking withdrawal of the prosecution against the petitioner.
The bench quashed criminal proceedings against the petitioner, who had been prosecuted for forwarding the audio clip to Tyagi and asking him whether the voice heard was indeed his.
“Having regard to the aforesaid, we find it to be a total abuse of their authority and also the process of the court by the police in initiating the proceedings. Accordingly, the entire proceedings of the criminal case of 2021 arising out of case crime of 2020, PS Kotwali Shahar, District Bijnor stand quashed”, said the bench, in its order.
The controversy began when the petitioner confronted Tyagi, who was then a superintendent of police (SP), regarding an alleged circulation of an audio clip, in which the senior police officer was allegedly heard using objectionable language against Muslims.
Ansari, before lodging a formal complaint, had asked the officer to confirm whether the voice in the clip was indeed his, but the SP never responded. Instead, Ansari was booked for circulating material containing hate speech.
“The petitioner having asked the Superintendent of Police and rightly so, before making a formal complaint, as to whether, the voice purported to be his, disclosing that he had used some very objectionable language was, never replied to, we direct that the voice sample of the then Superintendence of Police- Mr. Sanjeev Tyagi, who has been promoted and currently posted at DIG, Basti Range, Uttar Pradesh, for being confirmed with the clip which was forwarded to him, by the petitioner, be sent for examination”, said the apex court, in its order.
The bench said the said FSL examination would be done at the state FSL Laboratory, in Telangana, Hyderabad.
“Notice be issued to the concerned DIG who is impleaded as respondent No.2- Mr. Sanjeev Tyagi, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Basti Range, Uttar Pradesh, Office of IG, Police, Basti, Civil Lines, Basti, Uttar Pradesh… He is directed to be present for giving his voice sample at the place and time as required by the concerned FSL. The petitioner shall also provide the relevant audio clip/link to the concerned FSL. The same be done within three weeks from today”, said the apex court.
The bench made it clear that if any attempt is made/action taken by any of the authorities to harass or exert any sort of pressure on the petitioner, the petitioner is at liberty to directly move an appropriate application in the present case itself.
“The Telangana Forensic Sciences Laboratories, through its Director, Red Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500 004, is also impleaded (made a party) as respondent no.3. The director shall get the examination done under his direct supervision. He shall be personally responsible for ensuring that the test is done by competent persons of proven integrity and the exercise is uninfluenced by any person/authority/extraneous consideration”, said the apex court.
The bench said the director shall submit the report to this court in a sealed cover latest by January 31, 2026. The bench has scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 12, 2026.
