Bengaluru, June 1 (IANS) Responding to a purported audio recording related to the recently held Davanagere bye-election that has triggered political controversy amid ongoing discussions over the formation of the Karnataka Cabinet, Congress leader Zameer Ahmad Khan, a close associate of outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Monday dismissed the viral audio clip as “fake” and claimed that it had been created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology as part of a political conspiracy.

In a press statement issued after the audio gained traction on social media, Zameer Ahmad Khan said he had not made any of the remarks attributed to him in the recording and warned of legal action against those responsible for creating and circulating it.

“The audio is fake and has been created using AI technology. This is a political conspiracy. I have not made any such remarks. All this has been fabricated to create confusion and mislead people. This is the handiwork of mischief-makers, and nobody should believe it,” he said.

The senior Congress leader further stated that a complaint would be lodged with the cyber crime police and that legal action would be initiated against those behind the fabrication.

Challenging his critics, Zameer Ahmad Khan said he was prepared to face any enquiry into the authenticity of the audio.

“Let any agency conduct an investigation into the audio. I am ready to face any probe,” he said.

The clarification came after a 3-minute and 51-second edited video containing the purported audio was circulated widely on social media. The clip was shared by accounts identified as “KannadaCockroacc” and “@kannadacocylvb”, with claims that it was related to the recent Davanagere South bye-election.

The audio purportedly captured a conversation between Zameer Ahmad Khan and a Congress leader from Davanagere identified as Siraj. The speaker in the recording was allegedly heard discussing voting patterns and advising supporters not to mobilise Muslim voters in favour of the Congress party’s official candidate.

However, the authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified.

The audio also allegedly suggested support for an Independent candidate and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) instead of the Congress nominee.

Critics claimed that, if authentic, the conversation could indicate anti-party activities during the bye-election.

The controversy has generated significant discussion within political circles, particularly at a time when Zameer Ahmed Khan is considered a strong contender for a prominent berth in the new Karnataka Cabinet.

Some political observers and critics alleged that Zameer Ahmed Khan had sought to position himself as a prominent Muslim leader in Karnataka and had therefore maintained a distance from the high-profile bypoll campaign. Zameer Ahmed Khan had cited his engagement in election campaigning in Kerala as the reason for not actively participating in the Davanagere South campaign.

The purported audio also allegedly contains remarks in which the speaker describes the issue as a matter of personal reputation and expresses concern over the political fallout.

No official investigation into the audio has been announced so far.

–IANS

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