FIR over AI-generated video by Congress on PM Modi, his late mother

New Delhi | Delhi Police on Saturday registered an FIR on a BJP worker's complaint over an AI-generated "deepfake" video posted by the Bihar Congress unit on its X handle that allegedly tarnished the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother, an official said.

The complaint was filed on Friday by Sanket Gupta, convenor of the BJP Delhi Election Cell, at the North Avenue Police Station, who alleged the video "maligned the Prime Minister's image, grossly violating law, morality and women's dignity".

The clip was posted on the official X handle of the Indian National Congress, Bihar unit, on September 10, the complaint said.

The case has been registered against unnamed persons under sections 336 (Forgery), 340(2) (Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 356(2) (Defamation) and 61(2) (Criminal conspiracy) of the BNS, they added.

The AI-generated purported video of Modi's late mother was shared in the post in which "the PM is seen dreaming about his late mother who is criticising him over his politics in poll-bound Bihar."

The BJP and its allies had lashed out at the Congress over the video, calling it "shameful" and wondering how low the opposition party would stoop to target Modi.

The Congress has maintained that there has been no disrespect shown towards the prime minister or his mother.

"What is their objection? Just because a mother is trying to educate her son to do something right, where is the disrespect? This is neither disrespectful to the mother, whom we respect dearly, nor to the son," Pawan Khera, head of the Congress' media and publicity department, had said.