Samra Alleges Harassment of Relatives, Claims Possession of More Videos
CHANDIGARH: The controversy over alleged obscene videos of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has escalated sharply following the arrest of three youths from Fagguwala village in Sangrur — the native village of Canada-based NRI Jagman Samra, who had circulated the video online.
The arrests have triggered widespread anger among villagers, who have accused the police of harassment and demanded the immediate release of the detained youths. The vilagers today assembled at the residence of Jathedar Ujjagar Singh whose grand son Ruby was arrested by police after naming him i a eight year old case. They threatened an agitation if youth were not released by Monday. Fagguwala village falls in Sangrur district, also home constituency of Bhagwant Mann.
Jagman Samra, in a video statement posted on social media, admitted to releasing the video purportedly featuring the Chief Minister. He clarified that his relatives or other residents of Fagguwala had no role in the incident, alleging instead that Punjab Police were targeting his extended family. “Even women from my family have been summoned to the police station, ” he claimed. Samra further alleged he possessed multiple videos — eight allegedly involving Mann and another featuring AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in compromising situations.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has categorically dismissed Samra’s claims, branding the videos as “AI-generated deepfakes” and part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the BJP. AAP spokesperson and MP Malvinder Singh Kang warned the public against circulating the videos, asserting that Samra has a “criminal background.”
Earlier, Punjab Police obtained an ex-parte order from a Mohali court to remove the videos from social media platforms. Legal observers, however, questioned why no forensic examination of the video was ordered before granting such relief. Samra had challenged Bhagwant Mann to get the forensic examination of his obscene video.
Punjab Police have already registered an FIR against Samra at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Mohali, based on the statement of ASI Gagandeep Singh. Interestingly, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself has not filed any complaint in the matter.
Sources revealed that Samra, a Canadian citizen, had earlier escaped from Faridkot jail where he was lodged in a case of extortion and cheating.