FIR filed over AI-generated deepfake video targeting Harish Rawat
Harish Rawat, a former chief minister of Uttarakhand, filed a criminal complaint alleging that the Uttarakhand BJP posted an AI-generated deepfake video on its official Facebook page on December 18, 2025, designed to defame him and stir religious discord. The video purportedly showed him handing land to a minority community with manipulated audio resembling his voice. An FIR was registered under information technology and criminal law provisions, with Rawat claiming police delayed the filing by four hours.
What happened
An AI-generated video was posted on the official Facebook page of the Uttarakhand BJP on December 18, 2025, purporting to show former chief minister Harish Rawat handing land to a minority community, with audio resembling his voice.
Rawat filed an FIR at Nehru Colony police station in Dehradun on December 24, 2025, accusing the BJP Uttarakhand state president and associate members of operating the social media page and posting the video to malign his image.
Reported impact
According to Rawat's complaint, the video contained objectionable words and visuals relating to two communities, and he stated that dissatisfaction and discord were spreading among people of both communities as a result.
Rawat alleged the video hurt religious sentiments, attempted to endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India, and portrayed him as anti-national.
Index analysis
The FIR was registered under provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Rawat stated he would present his grievance to the State Election Officer and the Dehradun District Magistrate.
The BJP's media in-charge denied the party had anything to do with the video, instead accusing Rawat of taking recourse to legal proceedings to divert attention from appeasement issues.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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