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regular-article-logo Tuesday, 21 May 2024

Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy called over Amit Shah ‘doctored’ video probe

The fake video shows Shah advocating the abolition of reservation

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui New Delhi Published 30.04.24, 05:00 AM
A. Revanth Reddy.

A. Revanth Reddy. File Photo.

Delhi police have summoned Telangana chief minister and Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy on May 1 to join the probe into a “doctored” video of home minister Amit Shah being circulated on social media.

The fake video shows Shah advocating the abolition of reservation.

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Earlier in the day, Assam police arrested a Congress worker from Guwahati for allegedly posting the video on X. His mobile phone and laptop were seized.

Sources said the Delhi police had issued notices to five members of the Telangana Congress, including its chief Reddy, who allegedly posted the video on X.

“Reddy has been asked to appear before investigators in Delhi with his mobile phone allegedly used for posting the fake video on X,” a police official said.

The official said that Shah, during a campaign for the Assembly polls in November last year, had said that an “unconstitutional” 4 per cent Muslim reservation would be abolished if the BJP came to power in Telangana.

“But the alleged doctored video which was being circulated using deepfake technology makes it seem like Shah was saying all reservations, including of SCs, STs and OBC, would be scrapped,” the police officer said.

The Congress had won the Assembly polls and formed the government in Telangana.

A Delhi police team on Monday rushed to Gandhi Bhavan — the Congress headquarters in Hyderabad — spoke to the legal team of the party’s social media cell and handed them the summons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue at a Lok Sabha election rally in Maharashtra.

“It is our responsibility to save society from fake videos,” Modi said.

Reddy snubbed the summons during his poll campaign in Karnataka on Monday.

“Modiji and Amit Shahji have been using the Enforcement Directorate, the income tax department and the CBI to win elections so far. Now, I got information that the Delhi police had reached the Telangana Congress office because of some posts on social media, with a notice saying they want to arrest the Telangana Congress president — the chief minister of Telangana,” Reddy said.

“This means Narendra Modi is now using the Delhi police to win elections…. We are not scared… instead, we will give a fitting reply. In the coming election, we will defeat Modi and Shah in Karnataka and Telangana,” he added.

The Delhi police’s special cell had on Sunday night registered an FIR after the Union home ministry lodged a formal complaint about the “doctored” video.

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT department, alleged that the Telangana Congress unit was circulating a doctored video of Shah that was entirely fabricated and capable of inciting widespread violence. The BJP filed a separate complaint with the police.

“An FIR has been registered under Sections 153 (causing provocation with intention to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 465 (forgery), 469 (forgery to harm the reputation of any party), and 171G (publishing false statement with intent to affect the result of an election) of the IPC and under the Information Technology Act,” the Delhi police officer said.

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