Reported Deepfake Video Impersonating CM Vijay Leads to Police Case in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu CB-CID police have registered a case concerning an AI-generated deepfake video allegedly impersonating Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The video was reportedly circulated on social media platforms like Facebook, instructing individuals to contact a WhatsApp number for fake financial assistance, with the explicit intention of defrauding the public.
The Tamil Nadu CB-CID police have registered a case following a special report from the cybercrime team regarding an AI-generated deepfake video. The manipulated video, which allegedly impersonates Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, was flagged during routine cyber patrolling. The fabricated clip reportedly shows a person resembling the Chief Minister speaking in Hindi, instructing individuals seeking financial aid to contact a specific WhatsApp number. This video was created and widely circulated on Facebook and other major social media platforms with the explicit intention of cheating innocent victims. Preliminary investigations have revealed that several similar AI-generated deepfake videos portraying the Chief Minister offering financial assistance are active across multiple platforms. According to the police, some of these fraudulent clips were traced to purportedly Pakistan-based Facebook accounts. Law enforcement authorities have formally approached Meta to acquire details of the fake social media accounts and upload logs. The cybercrime wing is actively working to identify the perpetrators and take stringent legal action. Official steps have been initiated to block and remove the fake videos from all social media platforms to prevent further circulation. The CB-CID has issued a strong warning to the public against responding to the phone numbers or joining the WhatsApp groups promoted in such videos, emphasizing that the clips are fabricated deepfakes and advising citizens to ignore instructions given through these fraudulent messages.