The Assam Chief Minister's Office has released what it describes as the original video footage behind a viral image of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, asserting that the widely circulated picture was fabricated using artificial intelligence and digital editing tools.
The image, which showed the Chief Minister alongside a woman, had been circulating on social media for several days before the CMO responded on October 4 with the source video, which it says shows what actually happened and demonstrates that the still was manipulated.
Case registered, creators identified
In a statement posted on X, the Chief Minister's Office said it had "taken serious note of the deliberate circulation of a completely FAKE and morphed image" of the Chief Minister, calling it "entirely fabricated" with "no basis in reality whatsoever" and a "malicious and deliberate attempt to mislead the public and tarnish the image" of the Chief Minister.
The office said a case has already been registered and that the persons involved in creating and circulating the image have been identified, promising strict legal action against everyone responsible. It also urged social media users who had shared or amplified the image to verify facts before circulating such content.
Verification caveat
The episode highlights how quickly AI-generated imagery can force official responses in the middle of a heated election season — Assam is simultaneously voting in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll on October 6. It is worth noting that the authenticity of the video released by the CMO, and its claim that the viral image was manipulated, have not been independently verified.
Sources: NDTV, India Today NE
The image, which showed the Chief Minister alongside a woman, had been circulating on social media for several days before the CMO responded on October 4 with the source video, which it says shows what actually happened and demonstrates that the still was manipulated.
Case registered, creators identified
In a statement posted on X, the Chief Minister's Office said it had "taken serious note of the deliberate circulation of a completely FAKE and morphed image" of the Chief Minister, calling it "entirely fabricated" with "no basis in reality whatsoever" and a "malicious and deliberate attempt to mislead the public and tarnish the image" of the Chief Minister.
The office said a case has already been registered and that the persons involved in creating and circulating the image have been identified, promising strict legal action against everyone responsible. It also urged social media users who had shared or amplified the image to verify facts before circulating such content.
Verification caveat
The episode highlights how quickly AI-generated imagery can force official responses in the middle of a heated election season — Assam is simultaneously voting in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll on October 6. It is worth noting that the authenticity of the video released by the CMO, and its claim that the viral image was manipulated, have not been independently verified.
Sources: NDTV, India Today NE
