Maharashtra Cyber Cell Files FIR Against User for Ranveer Singh Deepfake Video

The Btown actor Ranveer Singh has become the latest victim of the alarming trend of deepfake technology. A recently circulated viral video seemingly showed Singh endorsing a political party, raising concerns about the manipulation of digital content using artificial intelligence. This deepfake video, which rapidly spread across the internet, utilized authentic footage from Singh’s visit to Varanasi but replaced his voice with an AI-generated replica. This deceptive technique has gained prominence, allowing individuals to create convincing yet fabricated videos capable of misrepresenting public figures and spreading misinformation.

In response to this incident, the Maharashtra police’s cyber cell has taken swift action by registering a First Information Report (FIR) against an individual identified as @sujataindia1st for allegedly uploading the deepfake video. The complaint was filed by Singh’s father, Jagjit Singh Bhavnani, who expressed concern over the potential damage to his son’s reputation.

According to PTI, as mentioned in the FIR, Ranveer Singh’s original speech included the statement, “It is Modi ji’s purpose and goal to celebrate our rich culture, heritage, history, and legacy because we are moving ahead towards modernity very fast but we should never forget our roots, our cultural heritage.”

However, the @sujataindia1st account holder on X (formerly Twitter) created a deepfake video in which the actor can be heard saying, “It is Modi ji’s purpose and goal to celebrate our painful life, fear, and unemployment because we are moving ahead towards injustice but we should never stop asking for our development and justice, vote for justice, vote for Congress,” according to the FIR.

Reports indicate that the FIR has been filed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, such as 417 (cheating), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 469 (forgery for the purpose of harming reputation), in addition to provisions of the Information Technology Act.

This controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh’s deepfake video follows a similar incident involving another Bollywood superstar, Aamir Khan. Recently, the city police registered an FIR against an unidentified person for circulating a deepfake video allegedly showing Khan endorsing a political party.

The prevalence of deepfake technology poses significant challenges in the digital era. It highlights the potential for misinformation and the manipulation of digital content, necessitating increased vigilance and legal measures to combat such deceptive practices.