Forensic Tests by Government Labs Confirm Video Authenticity; Mann Declared Anti-Guru

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikh community, has declared Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as “anti-Guru” and urged members of the Sikh community, referred to as the ‘panth’, to distance themselves from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader. The decision was announced on Monday following deliberations by the five Singh Sahibs, marking a significant development in an issue that has generated considerable attention in Punjab’s religious and political circles.

The controversy centres on allegations that Mann made objectionable remarks regarding Sikh devotees and a separate video in which a person resembling the chief minister was allegedly seen sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh Gurus. The Akal Takht had summoned Mann earlier this year, and he appeared before the institution on January 15 to respond to the allegations and provide clarification regarding the disputed video.

During the proceedings, Mann reportedly rejected the accusations and maintained that the video had been created using artificial intelligence technology. The chief minister denied any involvement and argued that the footage was manipulated. The matter remained under consideration for several months as the Akal Takht sought supporting evidence regarding the claims made by the Punjab chief minister.

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According to Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Mann was asked to provide proof that the video was AI-generated, but no evidence was submitted during the six-month period that followed. Gargaj stated that the Akal Takht subsequently sent the video for examination to two laboratories recognized by the Government of India to determine its authenticity and verify the claims surrounding it.

The religious authority said the forensic examinations concluded that the video was neither fabricated nor generated using artificial intelligence. Following a meeting of the five Singh Sahibs, the Akal Takht announced its verdict, stating that the findings contradicted Mann’s earlier explanation. The decision was presented as the outcome of the Sikh community’s collective deliberation on the issue.

Announcing the verdict, Gargaj said Mann had misled the Akal Takht and was therefore declared guilty before the Guru and categorized as “anti-Guru.” He further stated that followers of the Sikh faith should have no association with the chief minister. The AAP, however, responded by arguing that while the forensic analysis may have established the video’s authenticity, it did not conclusively identify the individual appearing in the footage as Bhagwant Mann.

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