The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police has arrested three Congress leaders for allegedly circulating an AI-generated video featuring Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The arrests were made between Wednesday and Thursday from Majuli and other districts, although the accused have since been released on bail, according to sources.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Jibeswar Gam (27), the Chairman of the Social Media & IT Department of Majuli District Congress; Upen Raj Nath, the spokesperson of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC); and Shahidul Islam (29), a member of Rupohi Congress.
CID officials confirmed that the accused will be taken to Guwahati for further interrogation as part of the ongoing investigation. However, senior Congress spokesperson Raju Sahu was summoned and questioned but not arrested.
The video was edited in the style of the quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati, and was widely shared across social media platforms.
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) clarified that the clip was fake and artificially generated. The CMO's official X handle posted a warning on November 26, "Alert! A fake, fabricated video is being circulated by some netizens to malign Hon'ble CM Dr. @himantabiswa. This claim is completely baseless. We urge everyone to stay cautious and avoid sharing unverified content. Those creating or circulating such misinformation will face legal action."
Following the official post, a case was registered at the CID's Cyber Cell (Case No. 0013/2025). The CID officials stated that the arrests were made for circulating doctored content intended to mislead the public.
The charges invoked include multiple sections of the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, specifically Sections 319(2) (cheating by personation), 336(4) (forgery intending to harm reputation), 356(2) (defamation), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy).
Additionally, Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (cheating by impersonation using computer resources) was also invoked in the case.
This incident is not the first of its kind in Assam. Just a day prior, on November 25, a similar AI-generated video showing Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi and several Congress leaders was circulated by some members of the BJP.
However, the Congress party chose not to file any official complaint regarding that video.
Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia said that he had considered circulating a rebuttal video to counter the misinformation but ultimately decided against it after receiving advice from his family.
