New Delhi: A day after the Delhi Police registered a case following complaints by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the BJP over a “leaked doctored video” of Home Minister Amit Shah doing the rounds on the social media, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has been summoned by the police on May 1 for questioning.
BJP using cops for political gains: CM
– In the purported fake video, Home Minister Amit Shah is reportedly shown speaking about BJP abolishing quota if it comes to power again at the Centre
– Reacting to the summons, Reddy accused the BJP and Modi of using the Delhi Police for their “political gains”
– Shah told a news agency that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was trying to mislead people by spreading lies against the BJP
Delhi court issues fresh summons to BBC
In a fresh development involving the controversial BBC documentary concerning PM Modi, a Delhi court has issued fresh summons to the BBC, UK. The move comes as the previous summonses were allegedly not received.
Amid the brewing controversy over the entry of deepfakes into the Indian political mainstream, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a warning, saying, “Before sharing such fake videos, people should inform the police, otherwise the law is strict and I don't want any innocent person to face legal repercussions by sharing such fake videos.”
Addressing a rally in Satara, Maharashtra, Modi alleged that the Opposition, by spreading such fake videos where the voices of BJP leaders, including Amit Shah's and his own, were being doctored through artificial intelligence, wanted to instigate people.
“They are trying to instigate people by putting words in our mouths. If peaceful elections are conducted, their intentions will never be fulfilled. In the next one month, they plan to do something big, and I am levelling this allegation with all seriousness that they want to spread tension and vitiate the atmosphere. So from this pure soil of Satara, I want to say that for maintaining peace and amity, kindly report all such fake videos to the police and think before forwarding these as the law is very strict and I don't want any innocent person to be harmed,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to sources, Reddy has been asked by the Delhi Police to present himself before them on May 1 along with all electronic gadgets used by him. Apart from Reddy, five more persons, including Congress leaders, who shared the doctored video on the social media, have also been summoned by the Delhi Police. The Assam Police have arrested one person in connection with the case. “The Assam Police have arrested Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving the Home Minister,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X.
In the purported fake video, Shah is reportedly shown speaking about BJP abolishing reservation if it comes to power again at the Centre.
The Delhi Police had on Sunday (April 28) registered an FIR under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469 and 171G of the IPC and Section 66C of the IT Act after which a probe was initiated. The police had also sent notices to X and Facebook seeking information on the accounts that uploaded and shared the video.
Reacting to the summons, Reddy accused the BJP and Modi of using the Delhi Police for their “political gains”.
The BJP alleged that the original video was of Shah discussing the removal of 4 per cent “unconstitutional” reservation for Muslims in Telangana and it was edited to falsely depict the Home Minister advocating ending Muslim reservation during a recent Lok Sabha election rally. Speaking to a news agency, Shah alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was trying to mislead people by spreading lies against the BJP.
