New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that a major conspiracy to manipulate forensic evidence has been exposed following the arrest of two men by Gurugram Police in connection with a complaint filed by a forensic expert, who claimed that senior Punjab Police officials had attempted to influence the preparation of a forensic report related to an “objectionable” video clip allegedly featuring Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

The controversy comes amid an ongoing political and religious debate in Punjab over the authenticity of the video clip, which CM Mann has consistently maintained is fake, manipulated, and part of an effort to malign his image.

The Chief Minister has also conveyed to the Akal Takht that the footage was fabricated and that the individual appearing in the video was not him but an actor.

The case, however, took a significant turn after Gurugram Police in Haryana arrested two individuals following a complaint lodged by forensic expert Jaspreet Singh. The complaint alleged that two senior Punjab Police officers had offered him Rs 10 lakh to secure a forensic report favourable to a particular conclusion regarding the video.

According to police, the arrested individuals, identified as Ankit and Arun, have been named in the FIR and are scheduled to be produced before a court. The FIR also mentions the alleged involvement of two Punjab government officials.

Reacting to the development, BJP national spokesperson R.P. Singh alleged that the arrests had exposed what he described as a state-backed effort to fabricate evidence and influence the outcome of a sensitive matter.

In a post on X, Singh said, “The Bhagwant Mann video cover-up unravels. The Gurugram Police Crime Branch has registered a massive criminal case, completely blowing the lid off a state-sponsored conspiracy to forge forensic evidence and shield Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann from political & religious ruin. FIR No. 0263 (DLF Sec-29) has dropped like a bomb.”

The BJP leader further claimed that the matter had evolved far beyond the realm of political controversy and had now become a “heavy-duty criminal investigation”.

According to the complaint submitted to Gurugram Police, forensic expert Jaspreet Singh alleged that he had been approached regarding the preparation of a report related to the disputed video. One of the officials named in the allegations reportedly holds the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG), while the other is a Superintendent of Police (SP).

In his statement to investigators, Jaspreet claimed that he subsequently engaged two cyber experts — Ankit in Delhi and Arun in Panchkula — and that draft forensic reports were repeatedly modified under continuous WhatsApp supervision from a Punjab Police SP until they aligned with the expectations of the officials involved.

Police have registered a case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 111(2)(a) pertaining to organised crime, Section 318(2) related to cheating, and Sections 336 and 340 dealing with forgery of electronic records. Relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act have also been invoked.

The BJP alleged that the case demonstrates an attempt by elements within the state machinery to systematically create fabricated legal and forensic material.

“According to the FIR, whistleblower Jaspreet Singh was cornered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Gurugram on June 15-16 by individuals claiming to be senior Punjab officials and a high-ranking ‘Bade Sahib’,” Singh alleged.

He further claimed that when the forensic expert reportedly indicated that the available video material was of insufficient quality to scientifically establish that it was a deepfake, attempts were allegedly made to pressure him.

“When Jaspreet warned them that the video was too poor to scientifically prove it was a deepfake, the script turned dark: severe threats were made against his family, and Rs 10 lakh in cash was forcibly stuffed into his vehicle to buy a tailored ‘AI-generated’ clean chit,” Singh said.

“When the expert refused to break, the conspirators bypassed him. Unidentified Punjab officials delivered pen drives across Panchkula & Delhi to two contractual operators — Arun Mahendru and Ankit Sharma. Under frantic WhatsApp supervision from the officials, they forged official-looking clearance certificates under the banner of ‘Cipher Sentinel Lab’ and ‘Cyber Yaan Lab’ — entities that investigators verified do not exist physically or hold any legal accreditation. Both men are now ARRESTED,” Singh said.

Continuing his attack, the BJP leader also took aim at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), stating, “Just days ago, AAP leadership smugly flashed ‘independent lab reports’ to clear Bhagwant Mann and brazenly challenge the Akal Takht Sahib’s official declaration that the video was authentic. Today, those ‘independent labs’ stand exposed as fraudulent phantom setups run by contract workers executing a criminal syndicate.”

“Using forged science and state-backed intimidation to gaslight the Panth and the public is a fatal blow to the Mann government. RESIGNATION the only option left,” the BJP spokesperson added.

The controversy has also drawn attention from the Sikh religious establishment. The Akal Takht, regarded as the highest temporal authority of the Sikh community, has declared the video clip to be authentic and described Mann as “Guru dokhi” (anti-Guru) and “panth virodhi” (anti-panth).

Chief Minister Mann, however, has firmly rejected those assertions and maintained that the person seen in the video is not him. He has repeatedly stated that the footage was manipulated and that an actor was used to defame him.

The investigation by Gurugram Police is ongoing, and authorities are examining allegations related to the preparation of forensic reports.

Further details are awaited.

–IANS

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