Home Minister’s doctored video: Telangana CM Reddy summoned by Delhi Police, say sources

New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has been summoned to appear before Delhi Police IFSO’s Cyber Crime Unit on May 1 in connection with a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where his statement indicating a commitment to abolishing reservation quotas for Muslims in the state, was changed to make it seem that he was advocating scrapping of all reservations, sources said on Monday.

Sources told IANS that Reddy has been asked to appear with his mobile phone allegedly used for posting the fake video on X.

A Delhi Police team will also be reaching Telangana to serve the notice to individuals who tweeted this fake video.

Since the Congress’ Telangana unit posted it on X, notice will be served to them also, a source said.

Earlier, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya had said that the Telangana Congress was circulating a doctored video of Amit Shah, alleging it to be entirely fabricated and capable of inciting widespread violence.

“The matter is under investigation. We are trying to trace the origin of the video and people who posted it will be questioned and notice will be served to them to participate in the probe,” a source said.

The development comes after Delhi Police on Sunday registered an FIR after two complaints were received by it, one from the BJP and another from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, and 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is in possession of IANS, the MHA, in its complaint, stated that it has been found that “some doctored videos are being circulated by users of Facebook and Twitter”.

“The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law,” the ministry said, as per the FIR.

It stated that a report was attached with the complaint containing details of links and handles from which the doctored videos of the Home Minister are being shared.

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media purportedly showing the Home Minister suggesting the BJP’s intention to annul reservation provisions for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

IANS