Police in Jalandhar have formally registered a case following a complaint about a manipulated video clip featuring former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi. The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged late on January 7, shortly after senior political figures from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and the Indian National Congress circulated the controversial video on social media.
Leaders Named in Complaint, But Not as Formal Accused
The complaint, filed by an individual named Iqbal Singh, specifically named Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, and Congress MLAs Pargat Singh and Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The complaint alleged that these leaders shared a clip that was falsely edited to show Atishi making blasphemous remarks against Sikh Gurus. However, the Jalandhar Commissionerate police, while registering the FIR, did not explicitly list these individuals in the formal accused column at this initial stage.
Forensic Science Exposes the Manipulation
On January 9, police officially announced the registration of the FIR and detailed their investigative steps. They confirmed that the video clip containing Atishi's audio was downloaded from the X (formerly Twitter) account of Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra. This clip was then sent for expert analysis to the director of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Mohali, Punjab.
The forensic report, also received on January 9, provided conclusive evidence of tampering. The police stated that the forensic analysis proved the word 'Guru' was never uttered by Atishi in the original audio. Furthermore, the investigation revealed deliberate editing and the addition of captions containing words that Atishi did not speak. The police emphasized that the video was scientifically examined and found to be doctored.
Legal Action and Political Repercussions
In his complaint, Iqbal Singh asserted that after the leaders shared the falsified clip, Atishi released the original footage, which clearly showed she made no such derogatory statements. He accused the individuals of selectively editing the video to provoke religious sentiments and incite hostility. Based on this, the FIR was registered under relevant sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act.
The incident has triggered significant political fallout. Separately, the Delhi Assembly Speaker has placed the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP), the Special DGP (Cyber Crime), and the Jalandhar Commissioner of Police on notice. The Speaker has demanded written explanations from these senior police officials by Monday, indicating the seriousness with which the legislative body is viewing the circulation of the fabricated content.
