Retired Major General Rajiv Narayanan debunks child predator sting claim about son: ‘I have never had a son’

Retired Major General Rajiv Narayanan shared that the fake news has caused immense stress for him and his family.

A retired Indian army officer lashed out at an X user for falsely claiming that his son was caught in a child predator sting operation. In a formal statement, retired Major General Rajiv Narayanan confirmed: “I have no son.” He added, “I have never had a son.”

Retired Major General Rajiv Narayanan issued a formal statement across various social media platforms. (X/@KlRajiv)

It all started with a viral video which shows a man being questioned, purportedly by authorities, after allegedly being caught in a child predator sting operation.

The caption accompanying the video, shared on the X profile called “Baba Thoka”, claimed that the man in the clip is Major General Rajiv Narayanan’s son, who is in the UK on a business visa.

The former army officer debunked the claim, adding how this fake news caused “immense distress to him and his family.” He also clarified that he has “no connection” to the man in the video.

“I have no connection, familial or otherwise, with the person shown in the viral video circulating on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok,” he wrote as a part of his statement, which he shared across various social media platforms, including X and LinkedIn.

Retired Major General Rajiv Narayanan’s full statement:

I, Major General Rajiv Narayanan (Retired), AVSM, VSM (V), a former senior officer of the Indian Army with over 37 years of distinguished service, wish to issue the following unequivocal statement: I have no son. I have never had a son. Any claim, video, post, or allegation suggesting that a person recently confronted in the United Kingdom by so-called “pedo- hunter” is my son is completely false, baseless, and malicious, as made by Baba Thoka, @ThokaReturns, on X.

This appears to be a deliberate attempt at defamation and character assassination, linking my name — without any evidence whatsoever — to a private individual involved in an unrelated incident. I have no connection, familial or otherwise, with the person shown in the viral video circulating on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. Such false narratives not only cause immense distress to me and my family but also undermine the dignity and reputation I have built over decades of honourable service to the nation.

Spreading unverified and fabricated claims for social media engagement or political motives is irresponsible and potentially actionable under Indian law, including provisions relating to defamation. I demand that all individuals, accounts, and platforms that have published or shared this false information immediately remove the content, issue public corrections, and cease further dissemination.

Failure to do so will compel me to pursue appropriate legal remedies, both in India and the United Kingdom, against those responsible for originating and amplifying this misinformation. I request responsible media outlets and social media users to verify facts before sharing such damaging content. Issued on 8 May 2026

Major General Rajiv Narayanan (Retd), AVSM, VSM (V)