Bihar man arrested for posting PM, President’s AI-generated video on Instagram

Muzaffarpur DSP Himanshu Kumar said the videos had been created in a manner that could mislead people into believing they were authentic

BETTIAH: A 25-year-old man in Muzaffarpur’s Bochaha was arrested on Friday on charges that he used artificial intelligence tools to create fake videos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu and put them out on Instagram.

(FILES) Muzaffarpur SSP Sushil Kumar said investigations indicated that the man was associated with a political party. (AFP)

Muzaffarpur deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Himanshu Kumar, said the videos had been created in a manner that could mislead people into believing they were authentic and spread misinformation among the public. He claimed the primary objective of such AI-generated fake content is to create confusion among the general public.

Kumar said Pramod Kumar Raj of Bochaha area in Muzaffarpur was arrested around 7pm on Friday. The Instagram ID, jansuraajbochaha, which was used to release the videos has been blocked in India.

“We have seized the mobile used in the crime,” he added.

Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sushil Kumar said investigations indicated that the man was associated with a political party.

The Jan Suraaj Party is yet to comment on whether Pramod Kumar Raj was a party member.

A police statement by the district police said, “Prima facie, it appears to be aimed at undermining the dignity, prestige and credibility of the country’s highest constitutional offices, generating distrust towards democratic institutions, and adversely affecting social harmony and law and order.”

“The widespread circulation of such AI-generated fake videos on social media can provoke people to react based on misinformation, which may create apprehension of disturbance to public peace,” the police statement said.

Police said a case was registered by the cyber police station at Muzaffarpur on Friday under sections 197 (d) (making false/misleading info jeopardising sovereignty & unity), 351 (4) (committing the offence of criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace)/353 (spreading rumours), 356 (defamation) and Section 66 (d) of the IT Act (cheating by personation).