FIR Registered By Maharashtra Cyber Police Over AI Videos Targeting PM Modi, Piyush Goyal

Maharashtra Cyber Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) over the circulation of allegedly AI-generated and digitally manipulated videos targeting Union Minister Piyush Goyal and objectionable content involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The case was filed following a complaint by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) social media office-bearer, who alleged that the content was designed to spread misinformation and provoke public discontent.

According to officials, the Maharashtra Nodal Cyber Police have launched an investigation against unidentified individuals responsible for creating and sharing the alleged content across social media platforms. The FIR has been registered under Sections 318(2), 336, 352, 353(1), 353(2), 356(1), and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 66(D) and 67 of the Information Technology Act, which deal with cyber-related offences, online fraud, and the publication or transmission of objectionable electronic content.

The complaint states that during recent student protests, an allegedly AI-generated or morphed video of Union Minister Piyush Goyal was widely circulated through multiple social media accounts. One such clip, shared from a Facebook account named "Maharashtra Dharma," claimed that the minister had called for protesters to be publicly hanged while referring to them as "cockroaches." The complainant alleged that the video appeared authentic but, after comparing it with the original footage released by a news agency, concluded that it had been digitally altered using artificial intelligence or other editing techniques.

Also Read: Sikkim MP Meets PM Modi, Highlights Key Issues Requiring Centre’s Support

The complaint also cited several other social media posts, including an allegedly morphed image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi circulated on Facebook, an objectionable video shared on Instagram, and another clip containing abusive language directed at the Prime Minister. According to the complainant, the content was deliberately created and circulated to mislead the public, inflame tensions, and insult individuals occupying constitutional positions.

Police officials said efforts are underway to identify the operators behind the social media accounts involved and determine the origin of the alleged AI-generated content. Investigators are examining digital evidence and online activity linked to the posts as part of the ongoing probe. The case highlights growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to spread misinformation, manipulate public opinion, and influence political discourse through social media platforms.

Also Read: PM Modi Meets Arunachal, Nagaland MPs Over Flood Situation