BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday demanded the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the ongoing controversy surrounding an alleged objectionable video, claiming that a probe by the Gurugram Police has removed doubts regarding the authenticity of the footage. Chadha also called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged fabrication of a forensic report linked to the video and urged authorities to register the first case under Punjab's newly enacted sacrilege law against the chief minister.

The controversy intensified after the Haryana Police registered a case on Tuesday based on a complaint by a man who alleged that he had been approached to procure a fabricated forensic report relating to the viral video. Two men were subsequently arrested by the Gurugram Police in connection with the alleged attempt to obtain the forged report. The investigation is focused on the circumstances surrounding the preparation and procurement of the disputed forensic document.

Earlier this month, the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikh community, declared Bhagwant Mann "guru dokhi" (anti-guru) and "Khalsa panth virodhi" (anti-Khalsa Panth) over the purported video, which allegedly showed a man resembling him engaging in objectionable activities in the presence of images of Sikh Gurus and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Mann has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the video is part of a false campaign aimed at damaging his reputation.

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Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Chadha alleged that the Punjab government had attempted to suppress the truth by relying on a fabricated forensic report. He claimed that the latest police investigation had eliminated doubts over whether the video was genuine or generated using artificial intelligence. He further argued that Mann was no longer fit to continue as chief minister and said the sentiments of the Sikh community had been deeply hurt by the controversy.

Chadha also sought a wider investigation into the alleged fabrication of the forensic report, questioning whether government officials were involved and whether public funds or illegal payments were used to obtain the document. He said investigators should examine every aspect of the alleged conspiracy, including the possibility of financial irregularities, and identify all individuals responsible for producing or circulating the disputed report.

Responding to the allegations, Bhagwant Mann has consistently dismissed the controversy, describing the video as "false propaganda" intended to defame him. The Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party has also defended the chief minister, stating that forensic examinations conducted by two separate laboratories concluded that the individual seen in the viral video is not Mann. The matter remains under investigation, with competing claims continuing to fuel political debate in Punjab.

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