The controversy surrounding a video linked to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann intensified on Tuesday, 23rd June, after Haryana Police arrested two men for their suspected role in arranging forged forensic reports that reportedly declared the video AI-generated.
The arrests have triggered strong political reactions, with opposition parties demanding Mann’s resignation and calling for a detailed investigation into the matter.
The arrested men have been identified as Arun Mahendru (25) from Sirsa and Ankit Sharma (25) from Kharak Gagar in Jind. According to Haryana Police, Mahendru is a Haryana government employee, while Sharma works as a contractual employee with the Delhi government.
The case was registered at DLF Police Station in Gurugram’s Sector 29 on the complaint of Jaspreet Singh, a cyber-forensic expert from Sirsa. The FIR includes charges related to cheating, impersonation, forgery of electronic records, organised crime, and violations of provisions under the Information Technology Act.
ACP (Crime) Naveen Sharma said the two accused provided forensic certificates claimed to be issued by laboratories named Cyberyan and Cypher Sentinel. Police said both laboratories were found to be fake and did not exist.
Complaint mentions pressure, threats and cash offer
According to Jaspreet Singh, he was called to the Crowne Plaza hotel in Gurugram on 15th and 16th June. There, he met a person who introduced himself as a senior Punjab government official, along with another official referred to as “bade sahib”.
Jaspreet said he was asked to certify a viral video, said to feature Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as AI-generated and unreliable. He stated that the video quality and available material were not sufficient for a proper forensic examination involving facial comparison, anthropometric analysis or deepfake detection.
He further claimed that when he refused to give such a conclusion, the pressure increased. He said threats were made against him and his family, and around ₹10 lakh was placed in his car as an inducement.
Reports shared for approval
The complaint states that Jaspreet was connected to people in the Delhi-NCR region who could arrange the required reports. He was introduced to Mahendru and Sharma, who later supplied the certificates.
Police said pen drives containing the video were delivered by unidentified Punjab government officials to Mahendru in Panchkula and Sharma in Delhi. Draft forensic reports were reportedly shared through WhatsApp with a senior Punjab government official, who suggested changes before the final reports were prepared.
ACP Sharma said the investigation is at an early stage and more arrests cannot be ruled out.
AAP rejects charges, opposition demands resignation
Responding to the developments, Punjab cabinet minister and AAP state president Aman Arora said Haryana Police functions under the BJP-led Haryana government and can conduct any inquiry it chooses. He questioned why attention was not being given to identifying who created, financed and circulated the video.
Arora also said the Punjab government could have approached a laboratory within Punjab if it wanted a favourable report, adding that seeking an outside opinion showed an attempt to get an impartial assessment.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and Akal Takht media adviser Jaskaran Singh demanded strict action and a thorough probe. They called for accountability from everyone involved and urged investigators to uncover the full truth behind the case.
