Punjab Police have registered an FIR against a social-media user for circulating an AI-generated obscene deepfake video depicting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Investigators say the doctored clip, posted on platform X (formerly Twitter), was designed to malign the CM’s image. The state cyber-crime cell has invoked provisions of the IPC and Information Technology Act, calling the case a test of India’s ability to police synthetic-media abuse.
Chandigarh, October 22 —
Punjab’s digital policing machinery moved swiftly this week, lodging a criminal case against a social-media user accused of creating and sharing an obscene deepfake video of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The incident has sparked outrage across political circles and renewed calls for stringent regulation of artificial-intelligence-driven content.
Officials confirmed that the State Cyber Crime Branch, Mohali, filed an FIR No. 412/2025 under Sections 469 (defamation by forgery) and 509 (insulting the modesty of a person) of the IPC, along with relevant sections of the IT Act.
“This is not satire — it’s a calculated digital crime,”
said DGP Gaurav Yadav. “The clip was fabricated using AI tools and circulated with intent to outrage and mislead.”
How the Scandal Surfaced
Late Sunday evening, a 30-second video began circulating on X, purporting to show the CM in a compromising pose. Within hours, it was shared thousands of times and cross-posted to Facebook and Telegram groups.
Cyber-sleuths from the Mohali unit traced the earliest upload to a verified account registered to a local resident of Ludhiana. When questioned online, the user claimed the video was “authentic” and even offered ₹10 lakh to anyone who proved otherwise — a provocation that further fuelled outrage.
“We are analysing metadata and server logs to determine the origin of the AI rendering,”
said DIG Cyber Crime Ravinder Singh.
A Pattern of Political Deepfakes
The Bhagwant Mann incident is the latest in a wave of AI-manipulated content targeting public figures. Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court directed Google to remove deepfake ads featuring Sadhguru (see related report on Sarhind Times). In recent months, AI-altered clips of film stars and women journalists have also gone viral.
According to cyber-forensics firm Logically AI, India saw a 900 percent increase in deepfake uploads since 2022, with political misinformation forming the fastest-growing segment. Researchers warn that cheap generative-AI tools now enable real-time video manipulation even on mobile devices.
Government Reaction
The Punjab government condemned the incident as “digital character assassination.” Information Minister Anmol Gagan Mann said the state would request the Union Ministry of Electronics and IT to expedite guidelines under the upcoming Digital India Bill.
“When AI is weaponised for politics, democracy itself is at risk. We need a legal firewall against synthetic defamation,”
she told reporters in Chandigarh.
Forensic Trail
Preliminary analysis by Punjab’s digital-forensics lab confirms the video used a popular open-source face-swapping model trained on thousands of public images of the Chief Minister. Technicians found frame-level artifacts and voice-spectrum mismatches typical of AI-generated media.
Investigators have issued data-preservation notices to X and Telegram seeking IP logs and timestamps. If foreign servers are involved, a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) request will be sent through the Union Home Ministry.
Political Response
The Aam Aadmi Party called the video a “malicious propaganda tool.” Opposition parties meanwhile urged restraint, demanding that the investigation “not turn into a political witch-hunt.”
“This is bigger than partisan politics,” said Congress spokesperson Partap Singh Bajwa. “The next victim could be any leader or citizen.”
Social media users across Punjab shared the hashtag #StopDigitalNastikta (digital indecency), calling for ethical boundaries in AI use.
Legal Perspective
Advocates say the FIR relies on a mix of existing laws — defamation, obscenity, and cyber harassment — but India still lacks a specific statute on deepfakes.
“We are trying to fit 21st-century technology into 20th-century law,” explained Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy. “Courts are beginning to treat AI manipulation as impersonation and fraud, but a dedicated legal framework is overdue.”
The forthcoming Digital India Bill is expected to define deepfake creation as a criminal offence with penalties up to ₹5 crore and five years’ imprisonment for malicious intent.
Impact on Public Discourse
The fake clip not only violated privacy but also undermined the credibility of online political dialogue. Experts warn of “truth fatigue” — a situation where citizens stop believing anything they see online.
“When every image can be doubted, democracy loses its mirror,” observed Dr. Ritu Kapoor, media ethicist at IIMC.
Citizens Caught in the Crossfire
Ordinary users are often unwitting amplifiers. Police have reminded the public that forwarding obscene or defamatory content is punishable even if the sender did not create it. Under Section 67 of the IT Act, transmission of obscene material can carry up to three years in prison.
Helplines and email addresses have been activated for citizens to report suspect AI content.
Technology and Counter-Technology
India’s cyber units are racing to build defence tools. The National Forensic Science University is testing AI models that detect lip-sync inconsistencies and lighting anomalies. Early pilots show 80–90 percent accuracy.
Yet experts caution that “detection is chasing a moving target.” Each software update produces more realistic fakes.
Moral and Social Dimensions
Bhagwant Mann — known for his humour and grass-roots connect — has publicly urged supporters to “fight lies with truth, not anger.” In a brief post on X he wrote:
“Technology is a gift only when used for truth. Let us not let machines steal our humanity.”
Religious and civil leaders across Punjab echoed the sentiment, framing the episode as a moral reckoning for the digital age.
International Echo
Globally, law enforcement agencies are wrestling with similar cases. The U.S. has passed the “DEEPFAKE Accountability Act,” while the EU AI Act requires labels on synthetic media. India’s action in the Bhagwant Mann case positions it alongside nations taking early judicial stance against AI misuse.
“This FIR is symbolic,” said Professor Nirupama Menon, cyber-law specialist at NALSAR. “It signals that India is no longer tolerating AI-driven defamation as mere online mischief.”
A Look Back at Past Cyber Precedents
Punjab has been a forerunner in cyber law enforcement: from tracking terror recruitment propaganda to shutting down fake loan apps. In 2023, its cyber cell helped bust an international phishing syndicate using AI-translated voice bots.
Officials say the Bhagwant Mann case is their “most technically complex” yet because it requires multi-layer forensic authentication across servers in different jurisdictions.
Challenges Ahead
- Jurisdiction: Offenders can hide behind foreign VPNs and cloud platforms.
- Proof of Malice: Establishing intent in AI-generated content remains difficult.
- Speed of Spread: Once viral, erasure is almost impossible even after takedown.
To counter these, the Centre is planning a National AI Forensics Hub linking state labs to Interpol data streams.
Citizens’ Education
Cyber-awareness campaigns are being rolled out across schools and colleges in Punjab under the banner “Think Before You Share.” Students will learn to spot fake visuals, verify metadata, and report malicious content.
“Prevention through literacy is the only sustainable firewall,” said Rupinder Kaur, Director, Department of Information Technology, Punjab.
Conclusion: Lines in the Digital Sand
The FIR against the deepfake of Bhagwant Mann marks a turning point in India’s fight against synthetic defamation. It is not merely a case of political smear, but a test of society’s ability to defend truth in an era where machines can forge faces and voices within minutes.
If courts and police follow through with swift prosecution, this case could set a precedent for balancing free speech with digital integrity. If not, the boundary between truth and fiction will erode further — and with it, public trust itself.
#PunjabPolice #BhagwantMann #Deepfake #CyberCrime #AIAbuse #DigitalSafety #ITAct #SarhindTimes
+ There are no comments
Add yours