Chandigarh/Mohali, June 18
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, along with AAP Punjab Media In-Charge Baltej Pannu, on Thursday claimed to have exposed a sinister political conspiracy to defame Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, hurt religious sentiments and destabilise Punjab’s social harmony through a fake and fabricated video. Citing forensic investigations conducted by two independent Government of India-recognised laboratories, the leaders said the propaganda campaign has been completely demolished by scientific evidence, with a technical analysis of 1,191 video frames conclusively establishing that the individual seen in the viral video is not CM Bhagwant Mann.
Addressing a press conference, Cheema said that for several days Akali Dal leaders had been attempting to inflame public emotions by circulating a fake video and falsely linking it to Mann. “The entire episode was part of a larger political conspiracy aimed at defaming a popular Chief Minister who has consistently worked for the people of Punjab,” he noted. Cheema said, “The truth has now come before the people of Punjab. Those who attempted to mislead the public and hurt religious sentiments by using a fabricated video have been completely exposed.”
Sharing details of the forensic investigations, Cheema said that two independent laboratories recognised by the Government of India thoroughly examined the viral video and arrived at the same conclusion. The forensic analysis examined a total of 1,191 frames from the video. Every aspect, including facial features, height, body structure, posture, movement patterns, side profile and back profile, was thoroughly analysed. The reports clearly conclude that the person shown in the video does not match Mann.”
Warning strict action against those responsible, the Finance Minister said that the government would not spare any individual involved in creating or circulating the fabricated content. He said, “Conspiring against the Panth is a serious crime. Those responsible for creating and circulating this fake video will not be spared. They will be tracked down and brought to justice, no matter where they are. Every individual involved in this dirty conspiracy will be made accountable before the law.”
Speaking on the occasion, AAP Punjab Media In-Charge Baltej Pannu declared the fake video campaign as one of the most disgraceful attempts in Indian political history to malign a sitting Chief Minister. “The fabricated video was first circulated among journalists with an intention to get it aired as authentic content. However, responsible journalists refused to broadcast the material after recognising its dubious nature,” he added.
Pannu said, “When they failed to get the fake video aired through credible media channels, they intensified their conspiracy to defame CM Bhagwant Singh Mann through other means. This is perhaps the first time in India’s political history that such a cheap and malicious attempt has been made against a sitting Chief Minister.”
Baltej Pannu announced that a delegation of the AAP will soon meet the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) and formally demand a comprehensive investigation into the entire conspiracy behind the fabricated video. Both leaders reiterated that the forensic findings have completely demolished the false narrative built around the viral video and exposed what they termed the anti-Panth and anti-Punjab politics of those responsible for creating and spreading it.
