Punjab Newsline | Mohali
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal and its president Sukhbir Singh Badal orchestrated a fake video campaign to defame Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Addressing the media, Cheema said the government had obtained two independent forensic reports that conclude the viral video does not match the Chief Minister.
According to the minister, the reports examined multiple physical characteristics, including facial angles, height, body posture, and walking style, and compared them with the person seen in the viral clip. He claimed that the analysis covered 1,191 different angles and parameters, establishing that the individual in the video is not Bhagwant Mann.
Cheema stated that both forensic laboratories are independent, recognized by the Government of India, and located outside Punjab. He alleged that the video was created using another individual resembling the Chief Minister in an attempt to tarnish his image.
The Finance Minister further accused the Shiromani Akali Dal and Sukhbir Singh Badal of using fabricated content to manipulate public sentiments and inflame religious emotions in Punjab. He claimed the opposition party was attempting to create unrest and mislead the public through false propaganda.
Cheema also alleged that the Akali Dal has repeatedly exploited religion for political purposes and said the forensic findings expose what he described as a deliberate effort to defame the Chief Minister through a fabricated video.
