CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police Cyber Crime wing in Mohali has registered a case against Jagman Singh Samra, a Canada-based NRI originally from Punjab, for allegedly circulating a doctored video purportedly showing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in a compromising situation with a Russian woman in a hotel room.
Police officials said the video, posted on Samra’s Facebook account, is fake and appears to have been generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to malign the Chief Minister’s image and spread misinformation.
Samra, who hails from Bhagwant Mann’s home district Sangrur, had earlier claimed in his social media videos that he personally hosted the Chief Minister during his visits to Canada. Currently residing in British Columbia, Samra has also promoted cryptocurrency ventures through his online platforms.
According to investigators, the first post surfaced around 2 a.m. on October 20, followed by another at 7 a.m. the next day. The posts, which quickly went viral, were traced to accounts operated from outside India. Police believe the content was part of a coordinated attempt to defame the Punjab CM and incite political controversy.
In one of his posts, Samra claimed to have “11 videos — 10 of Bhagwant Mann and one of his boss” (referring to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal) and announced a $1 million reward for anyone who could prove the videos were fake. He also boasted that he would release the remaining clips “one by one, ” with Kejriwal’s video being timed for the Delhi elections.
Samra further alleged that the purported footage was shot at a hotel near “Sun & Sand Bombay Beach, ” claiming it featured Russian women present during a business meeting.
Punjab Police officials dismissed these allegations, calling the videos malicious fabrications designed to spread hatred and confusion. A senior officer confirmed that an FIR has been registered under sections related to cybercrime, defamation, and promoting enmity through false information, and that further investigation is underway to trace Samra’s digital footprint and collaborators abroad.
FIR was registered on the complaints of inspector, cyber cell, Gagandeep Singh. The FIR has been registered under Sections 340(2), (using forged electronic record) 353(1) and (2) statements conducing public mischief), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 336(4) (forgery to harm someone’s reputation) of the BNS and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (transmission of obscene material in electronic form).