The Punjab Police Cyber Cell has registered an FIR against Canada resident Jagman Samra for allegedly circulating a doctored “deep fake” video involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on social media. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has confirmed that a court order has been issued to take down the purported video.
Contents and Claims
- The Video: The AAP dismissed the video’s authenticity, stating on social media that a “deep fake video” of CM Mann was being shared by “Right Wing Trolls” and confirmed that the court ordered its removal.
- The Challenge: Samra, who reportedly uploaded the videos on Facebook, publicly challenged critics by claiming that anyone who could prove the videos were AI-generated would receive a cash reward of ₹5 crore.
- Political Reaction: The controversy was further fueled when BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga alleged that former Delhi CM and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal was behind the circulation of the fake content.
Legal Action
An FIR has been registered at the Mohali Cyber Cell under multiple sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Authorities stated that the material uploaded on the Facebook account named ‘Jagman Samra’ appears to have been shared with the intention of “promoting enmity” and is “prejudicial” to the maintenance of public harmony in Punjab. Preliminary examination suggests that the content may be AI-generated, and the police will investigate the content’s authenticity and veracity.