CM Vijay deepfake videos show him promising financial aid, Rajasthan man arrested

The CBCID Cyber Crime Cell detected the videos during routine online monitoring and registered a case on September 1 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

In Short

• AI deepfakes of Vijay promised financial aid via WhatsApp
• Police say victims in Madhya Pradesh, other states have been cheated
• Cyber crime cell spot the videos during routine online monitoring

The Tamil Nadu CBCID has arrested a 28-year-old man from Rajasthan for allegedly circulating AI-generated deepfake videos of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to dupe people with promises of financial assistance.

The accused, identified as Shayabhu Khan, was arrested on September 12 from Rajasthan’s Alwar district, following an operation conducted with the Rajasthan Police. Mobile phones, SIM cards and a CPU allegedly used in the crime were seized from him.

According to the CBCID, the videos showed an AI-generated version of Vijay speaking in a fabricated Hindi voice. Viewers were asked to contact a WhatsApp number to receive financial assistance.

The videos were circulated on Facebook and other social media platforms and were allegedly used to cheat several people in Madhya Pradesh and other states.

The CBCID Cyber Crime Cell detected the videos during routine online monitoring and registered a case on September 1 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

Investigators collected information from the service provider and analysed digital evidence, which led them to suspects in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Two special teams were subsequently sent to the states.

Khan was traced to an interior area of Alwar district and arrested with the help of the local police. He was later brought to Tamil Nadu on a prisoner transit warrant and remanded in judicial custody.

The CBCID also traced a man in Madhya Pradesh who had allegedly lost money in the fraud. Police said his statement and the evidence provided by him strengthened the case against Khan.

The agency is investigating whether Khan operated independently or was part of a larger network.

Several similar deepfake videos have also been circulated through Facebook accounts suspected to be operated from Pakistan, according to the CBCID. Investigators are trying to identify those operating the accounts and determine whether they received assistance from people in India.

Tamil Nadu Police urged people not to contact phone numbers or join WhatsApp groups promoted through such videos. It also advised the public to verify online offers of financial assistance before sharing personal or banking information.

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