Mumbai Police File FIR Against Unidentified Person for Deepfake Video of Aamir Khan Promoting Political Party

The Mumbai police have filed an FIR (First Information Report) against an unidentified person for allegedly creating a deepfake video of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan promoting a political party. The 27-second video clip, which went viral on social media, showed Khan urging voters to be careful of 'jumle vaade' (empty promises) ahead of the Indian general elections. However, the video was found to be edited using artificial intelligence technology, with clips extracted from Khan's old TV show 'Satyamev Jayate'.

Khan's spokesperson has clarified that the actor has never endorsed any political party in his 35-year career and has reported the matter to the authorities, including filing an FIR with the Mumbai Police's cyber crime cell. "Mr. Aamir Khan has never endorsed any political party in his 35 year long career and has only participated in social causes and Electoral Commission campaigns to create awareness amongst citizens to come out and vote," the spokesperson said.

The police have registered a case under sections 419 (impersonation), 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Information Technology Act. The Khar police in Mumbai are investigating the matter and trying to find the culprit behind the doctored video.

Why this matters: Deepfake videos have become a growing issue in India, with several Bollywood celebrities and public figures falling victim to such manipulated content. The misuse of deepfake technology to influence voters ahead of the general elections raises serious concerns about the spread of disinformation and its potential impact on the democratic process.

This is not the first instance of deepfake videos targeting Indian celebrities. The Indian government has been addressing the growing threat, with the IT minister issuing notices to social media companies to take steps to identify and remove such disinformation from their platforms. As the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, approach, authorities are on high alert to combat any attempts to mislead voters through manipulated content.

Key Takeaways

• Mumbai police filed FIR against unidentified person for Aamir Khan deepfake video
• Video showed Khan endorsing political party, but was found to be AI-edited
• Khan's spokesperson clarified he has never endorsed any political party
• Police registered case under IPC and IT Act, investigating the culprit
• Deepfake videos raise concerns about disinformation ahead of Indian elections