LEH, Oct 2: Leh Police on Thursday registered an FIR to identify and apprehend individuals behind the circulation of a digitally manipulated video falsely attributing a statement to Ladakh Director General of Police (DGP) S.D. Singh Jamwal.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) confirmed that the video, in which DGP Jamwal is purportedly seen claiming that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the directions of the Defence Minister, is a deepfake. The video has gone viral across social media platforms, raising concerns over potential misinformation and public unrest.
“It has come to the notice of District Police Leh that a deepfake (digitally morphed) video is being circulated on social media platform X. In this video, false statements are attributed to the DGP, UT Ladakh. The video has been digitally manipulated using AI with malicious intent and has the potential to disturb peace and harmony in the region,” the Cyber Unit of Leh District Police said in a statement.
The FIR (No. 148) was registered at Police Station Leh under sections 353(2) and 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
The police urged the public to verify content before sharing it on social media and warned that spreading such misinformation will be dealt with strictly under the law. Citizens encountering misleading posts or videos have been asked to immediately inform the Cyber Cell Leh.
The PIB’s Fact Check unit had earlier, on September 30, confirmed that the video circulating on social media showing the Ladakh DGP making claims about Wangchuk’s arrest was digitally altered.
Sonam Wangchuk was taken into custody on September 26 by a police team led by DGP Jamwal, two days after protests demanding Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule status turned violent, leaving four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory.
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