Bhagwant Mann viral video row: Two held for 'fabricating' forensic report

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann dismisses a viral video as a 'conspiracy'. The controversy intensifies after two are arrested for allegedly fabricating a forensic report for Rs 10 lakh. AAP defends Mann, while the Opposition demands his resignation.

The political storm surrounding Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann intensified on Wednesday after he dismissed allegations linked to a purported viral video showing the desecration of Sikh Guru photographs, calling it a "well-planned conspiracy" aimed at defaming him. The controversy has now snowballed into a major political battle, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) defending Mann while Opposition parties demand his resignation and legal action.The row took a dramatic turn after Gurugram Police apprehended two individuals accused of allegedly fabricating a forensic report that had declared the viral video fake. According to police, the accused allegedly received Rs 10 lakh and claimed that certain Punjab officials were involved in getting the report prepared. The investigation remains ongoing.

CM Mann Breaks Silence, Alleges 'Dirty Politics'

Breaking his silence, Chief Minister Mann maintained that the viral video was fake and accused the BJP, Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal of joining hands to malign his image. "For the past few days, my fake videos have been released amid dirty politics. When they don't find another way, they try to defame me using religion," Mann said in a video message.Claiming that neither his appearance nor mannerisms matched the individual seen in the clip, Mann reiterated that forensic examinations had concluded that the person in the video was not him. "The BJP has attacked the owners of the forensic labs. BJP, Congress and Akali Dal have formed a collusion in Punjab. By the fear of FIR and torture, they are making the lab owners say that they took money for a fake report," he alleged.Bhagwant Mann said people were capable of judging who was speaking the truth and accused his opponents of exploiting religion for political gains. "They are not left to show their faces in Punjab; now they have resorted to religion to defame Bhagwant Mann. I will keep working for electricity, houses, hospitals and jobs," he added.The Chief Minister had earlier stated that forensic experts examined 1,191 frames from the video and found no match with him. "It is not me in the viral video, but an actor who looks like me. A well-planned conspiracy was hatched to defame me," he had said while directing Punjab Police to identify and arrest those behind the alleged campaign.

AAP Rallies Behind Mann, Accuses BJP of Smear Campaign

AAP leaders rallied behind Mann, accusing the BJP of orchestrating a smear campaign. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said the controversy had exposed what he described as a political conspiracy. "The entire conspiracy of the BJP has now been exposed, and the truth of the video has been revealed to the public," Rai said.He argued that the attacks on Mann were driven by the Chief Minister's growing popularity in Punjab. "I firmly believe that the rapid rise in Bhagwant Mann's popularity in Punjab and the work he has done for electricity, schools, hospitals, water, farmers and women is the reason people are looking towards giving AAP another landslide majority," Rai added.

Gurugram Police Arrest Two for Fabricating Forensic Report

The controversy gained momentum after Gurugram ACP Crime Naveen Sharma confirmed the arrest of two individuals accused of fabricating a forensic report related to the viral video. "The Gurgaon Police received a complaint. We have taken two individuals into custody; an interrogation is currently underway," Sharma said.According to the police officer, one of the accused, identified as Ankit, worked as a cyber expert with the NIA on a contractual basis, while the second accused was identified as Arun. "They stated that they were given Rs 10 lakh for this task and indicated that certain officials from the neighbouring state were also involved," Sharma claimed.He further alleged that the accused were not operating from any government-recognised forensic laboratory.

Opposition Parties Demand Resignation, Independent Probe

After this, the BJP launched a sharp offensive against Mann, demanding his resignation and calling for an independent investigation.

BJP Launches Sharp Offensive

BJP MP Anurag Thakur questioned the handling of the case and suggested a judicial or central probe. "Why doesn't a sitting judge or the CBI investigate it? This is what the Aam Aadmi Party has demonstrated," Thakur said.Accusing AAP of misgovernance, he added, "The public is fully prepared to oust this government after eight months." Thakur also claimed that Punjab was looking towards the BJP for change. "Punjab wants freedom from drugs, anarchy and gangsters and wants to move on the path of development. There is only one option, the BJP," he said.BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh accused Mann of misleading the public after initially claiming the video was AI-generated. "When Shri Akal Takht Sahib had called him over the disrespectful video, he had denied it and said that this video is fake, created by AI. Bhagwant Mann is intoxicated with power," Chugh said."He has no moral right to remain Chief Minister of Punjab," he added.Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also called for Mann's arrest. "The way such a grave sin has been committed, and the attempt to suppress it with the help of money and the police, has been challenged," Sirsa said. "When will a case be filed against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann? When will Bhagwant Mann be arrested in this case?" he asked.BJP leader RP Singh alleged that Mann had misused government machinery to conceal the truth. "Bhagwant Mann ji, you misused the Punjab Police to hide your misdeeds," Singh said, challenging the Chief Minister to submit the video for examination at government forensic laboratories. "You are in those videos, and the sooner you apologise before the Akal Takht, the better for you," he added.Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini condemned any perceived disrespect towards Sikh Gurus. "They sacrificed their lives to protect their faith and family. This is not ordinary. This should not be mocked," Saini said. Referring to the forensic report controversy, he added, "It is unfortunate that something like this was done to hide one's own faults."

Congress Intensifies Pressure

The Congress also intensified pressure on the Punjab Chief Minister. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring demanded Mann's resignation and a public apology. "The Chief Minister should resign and apologise to the people of Punjab," Warring said.He further alleged that officials linked to Mann were involved in securing a manipulated forensic report. "The fact that his officials held a meeting at a hotel in Gurugram and had the report prepared to suit their own agenda confirms the validity of the Akal Takht's verdict," Warring claimed.Former Haryana Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said public confidence could only be restored through proper verification. "For public satisfaction, he will have to prove whether it is right or wrong. He should either resign or provide a proper justification," Hooda said.Congress MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi demanded stringent action. "The CM should resign, a case should be registered against him, and he should be arrested," Channi said.

SGPC Demands Criminal Action

Furthermore, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member and advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka called for criminal action against Mann. "An FIR should be filed against Bhagwant Mann and his associates," Sialka said.Describing the episode as unprecedented, he alleged that the Chief Minister's actions had the potential to create unrest in Punjab. "What Bhagwant Mann has done could trigger a civil war and a storm in the state. Such people should not be spared under any circumstances," he said.

Akal Takht Summons Mann, Calls for Social Boycott

The controversy had earlier prompted the Akal Takht, headed by acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, to summon Mann. The Sikh temporal body subsequently directed members of the Sikh community to socially boycott the Punjab Chief Minister over the alleged incident.With Gurugram Police investigating allegations of a fabricated forensic report, AAP insisting the video is fake, and Opposition parties demanding resignation, arrest and independent probes, the Bhagwant Mann viral video controversy has evolved into one of Punjab's most explosive political flashpoints.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)