New Delhi, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on senior Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan over the alleged circulation of a digitally manipulated video of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, accusing him of being part of a conspiracy to damage India’s image and undermine its constitutional institutions.
Rijiju’s remarks came after Delhi Police registered an FIR against Bhushan in connection with the circulation of the video, which falsely purported to show Lavrov making remarks critical of India.
In a post on X, Rijiju recalled an earlier controversy involving Bhushan and accused him of spreading misinformation.
“Earlier also, this Prashant Bhushan had circulated a fake news that Judges and Ministers went to London to play Badminton! And he even didn’t apologise for it. It’s part of the conspiracy to destroy India’s image and constitutional institutions of India,” the minister said.
Delhi Police said the matter came to light during cyber patrolling on November 3, when officers noticed a social media post alleging that the manipulated video had been shared from Bhushan’s account.
The police said the content allegedly involved the dissemination of misleading, defamatory and inflammatory material capable of causing public disturbance and spreading rumours.
An FIR numbered 263/26 was registered at the Special Cell police station under Sections 336(4), 353(1)(c), 356 and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 66C of the Information Technology Act.
The controversy intensified after the Ministry of External Affairs’ fact-check unit rejected the video as fabricated. The Russian Embassy also denied its authenticity.
The MEA’s Official FactCheck account posted a warning on X, describing the clip as fake and cautioning against its circulation.
The episode has renewed concerns over digitally manipulated content and AI-generated misinformation, particularly when fabricated statements attributed to foreign leaders have the potential to affect diplomatic relations.
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