Rohan Umak
FIR against ‘X’: Kerala Police’s cyber cell on Thursday registered a case against the social media platform ‘X’, and one of its users for allegedly circulating an AI-generated video portraying Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a ‘misleading and defamatory manner.’ Officials said that the video, which has still not been removed from the platform, was flagged through official channels, including the ECI, prompting them to initiate legal proceedings.
Synthetic media linked to ongoing political row
The controversy centres around an incident reported earlier, involving an ECI letter that mistakenly carried the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Kerala unit. Since then, the issue has snowballed into a major political flashpoint in poll-bound Kerala. The cyber cell officials said that the synthetic media referenced this controversy and carried the potential to mislead the public, undermine institutional credibility and disrupt the conduct of free and fair elections.
Multiple legal provisions invoked in FIR
As per the First Information Report (FIR), a case has been registered at the Cyber Crime police station in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, against the X handle and others, including X corp. Charges have been filed under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, including those pertaining to intentional insult, forgery and public mischief, along with provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act, notably Section 66C pertaining to identity theft.
The authorities said that the 1-minute-17 second video was shared with the intent to incite political unrest, and that the platform failed to take down the content despite directives.
FIR against ‘X’: Cops issue legal notices
The Kerala Police said they have served notices to the intermediary platform under relevant IT laws, seeking urgent removal of the synthetic media. The Cyber Operations Wing has also begun measures to curb further circulation of video. Officials added that a probe is underway to determine responsibility and ensure appropriate legal action.
Police issue advisory to commoners
Amid heightened political sensitivity, the police said they have urged citizens to exercise caution and refrain from sharing unverified or misleading content, particularly in the thick of the election period. The authorities maintained that strict and impartial action would be taken against any attempts to influence electoral processes or disrupt public order.
Clerical error had sparked row
For the unversed, the controversy originally surfaced after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) highlighted a 2019 Election Commission letter bearing an incorrect party seal. The ECI later termed it a ‘clerical error’ and stated that it had been rectified promptly, while confirming that the responsible official was suspended.
