Mohali, Punjab: A Mohali court has directed social media giants Facebook and Google to take swift action against the circulation of a fake video targeting Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The platforms have been given 24 hours to remove and block all related content, with the court warning of legal consequences if they fail to comply.
As per the court’s order, Facebook must promptly delete all objectionable posts and prevent the re-uploading of similar videos upon notification from the State Cyber Crime Department. Google has been instructed to ensure that the misleading content does not appear in its search results.
Earlier, the Punjab Police had issued notices to both Facebook and Instagram, urging immediate removal of the videos. A copy of the FIR filed by the State Cyber Crime Police Station, Mohali, was also shared with the platforms.
The accused behind the viral video has been identified as Jagman Samra, who allegedly created and uploaded the manipulated footage. After the FIR was lodged on Wednesday, Samra reportedly posted five more videos and images, challenging the authorities. In one of his posts, he wrote provocatively, “This is just a trailer. If anyone proves these videos were made using AI, they’ll get a reward of one million dollars.”
According to police sources, Samra’s posts were first flagged by the State Cyber Cell, which quickly traced the account and alerted senior officials. Despite the case registration, the accused remained active on social media—initially hiding some posts before posting again on Instagram.
Officials said that continued uploads could result in his accounts being permanently blocked. The investigation remains ongoing as cyber experts work to assess the extent of the video’s reach and identify potential collaborators.
The Punjab Police reaffirmed that strict action will be taken against those spreading false or defamatory content online, especially when it involves public figures or attempts to mislead the public.
