Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 15: Karnataka has witnessed a rising number of fake news cases over the past three years, with Bengaluru and Uttara Kannada emerging as the most affected regions. The state police have registered 259 cases since 2023, with 107 cases filed in 2023, 139 in 2024, and 13 in 2025, according to data shared by the home department.

Bengaluru recorded the highest number of cases, with 48 in 2023, 45 in 2024, and two in 2025. Uttara Kannada followed, reporting 19 cases in 2023, 27 in 2024, and three in 2025. Despite the increasing number of cases, legal action has been slow, with only 75 cases currently under investigation and just six convictions so far.

The state is also grappling with the growing menace of deepfake technology. Karnataka police have booked 12 cases related to deepfake content—seven in 2024 and five in 2025 (till February 28). Cybercriminals have exploited AI-generated videos to deceive the public, with Bengaluru witnessing major scams involving fake videos of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. These fraudulent schemes led to victims collectively losing over Rs 83 lac.

In Belagavi, a 22-year-old man was arrested for distributing deepfake images of a woman and her friends after she rejected his advances, highlighting the serious threats posed by AI-driven misinformation.

Authorities have ramped up efforts to curb the spread of fake news, particularly content inciting religious, caste, or regional discord. Every police station in Karnataka now has designated officers trained by the District Social Media Monitoring Unit and State Intelligence to track fake accounts and misinformation.

To counter fake news, authorities verify claims through KSP Factcheck and share accurate information via the department’s official website.