Daijiworld Media Network – Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Jun 18: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday reiterated that he was not the person seen in an alleged objectionable video that recently sparked controversy, asserting that the footage was part of a deliberate attempt to defame him.
The statement comes days after the Akal Takht declared Mann as “Guru Dokhi” (anti-Guru) and “Khalsa Panth virodhi” (anti-Khalsa Panth) over the video.
In a video message, Mann maintained that the individual seen in the footage was an actor impersonating him. He said the person had been made to resemble him, including by adopting a similar hairstyle, in an attempt to mislead the public.
Referring to forensic examinations conducted by two independent laboratories, Mann said the reports had established that he was not the person featured in the video.
According to the Chief Minister, experts analysed 1,191 frames of the footage and found that neither the facial features nor the body structure of the individual matched his own.
“Not even a single frame matched the front or side profile of my face or my physique. It becomes clear that this video was made with the intention of defaming me,” Mann said.
He further claimed that the forensic reports highlighted a discrepancy in height between him and the individual in the video.
“There is a difference of one inch in height. How could my height increase by one inch in the video?” he asked.
Mann also questioned the origin and authenticity of the footage, saying it remained unclear when and where the video had been recorded.
The Chief Minister alleged that political opponents were targeting him because they could not tolerate the pro-people measures being implemented by his government.
He said he had directed Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav to thoroughly investigate the matter and identify those responsible for creating and circulating the video.
Earlier in the day, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also defended Mann, stating that two government-recognised forensic laboratories located outside Punjab had independently concluded that the individual in the video was not the Chief Minister.
Cheema said both laboratories arrived at the same conclusion after conducting separate examinations.
A delegation of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also met DGP Gaurav Yadav and demanded a detailed probe into what it described as a conspiracy to tarnish Mann’s image.
Cheema accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of attempting to defame the Chief Minister, particularly after discussions began regarding the introduction of a stringent anti-sacrilege law in the state.
He asserted that those responsible for fabricating and disseminating the video would be identified and brought to justice.
The controversy intensified after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj claimed that the circulating video had been examined by two forensic laboratories and was found to be authentic, stating that it was neither manipulated nor generated using artificial intelligence.
The matter traces its origins to January this year, when the Akal Takht summoned Mann over remarks allegedly made regarding “Guru ki Golak” (gurdwara donation box) and for allegedly engaging in objectionable activities in the presence of pictures of Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in a purported video clip.
Mann has consistently rejected the allegations, describing the video as “false propaganda” aimed at damaging his reputation.