The Mohali court has stepped in amid the growing controversy over a deepfake video of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, issuing a major order to social media giants Facebook and Google to take immediate action against objectionable content linked to the case.
The order comes after a fake, AI-generated video of the Chief Minister was found circulating on social media, allegedly uploaded from an account named Jagman Samra. The clip had triggered an FIR by the Punjab Police’s Cyber Crime Wing, which has been investigating the source and spread of the manipulated footage.
Acting on a report submitted by the Cyber Crime Department, the Mohali court directed Facebook to remove and block all objectionable and identical posts within 24 hours of being informed. The court also ordered Google to ensure that no such misleading or defamatory content appears in its search results.
“The platforms are bound to act promptly to restrict the spread of any content that is defamatory or digitally fabricated,” the court stated in its order. It further cautioned that failure to comply could invite legal action against the companies.
Officials said the directions mark a significant step in tightening accountability for social media intermediaries in cases of deepfake and misinformation. The Punjab Police has been coordinating with digital platforms to track the origin of the fake video and prevent its re-upload across networks.
Cyber experts have welcomed the move, calling it a necessary intervention at a time when AI-driven fake content poses serious risks to individuals and public trust. “Deepfakes are becoming harder to detect and easier to make. Court-backed enforcement adds a layer of urgency that platforms often lack,” said a Chandigarh-based IT analyst.
The Punjab government has reiterated its warning against sharing or forwarding manipulated videos, reminding users that creating or spreading such content is a punishable offence under the Information Technology Act and BNS.