FIR against Punjab ministers on ‘doctored’ video of Partap Singh Bajwa's remarks

Acting on a complaint by Punjab’s Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, the Chandigarh Police have registered an FIR against Punjab cabinet minister Harpal Cheema and Aman Arora, besides an unknown social media handler of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for posting an edited video of his statement against the alleged misconduct of Punjab Vigilance in harassing MLA Ganieve Majithia during the house search following the arrest of her husband Bikram Majithia.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 336 (4), 356, and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Though Bajwa had also named AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Mann in his complaint, the FIR so far has not mentioned their names.

Bajwa has lodged a formal complaint with the Chandigarh Police against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Harpal Cheema and Aman Arora and their associates, accusing them of fabricating and circulating doctored videos intended to malign his political image.

In his written complaint to the SHO, Sector 3 Police Station, Bajwa alleged that a video, originally posted by him on June 25 criticising the Punjab Vigilance Bureau’s alleged misconduct against MLA Ganieve Kaur and former MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, was edited to remove references to Kaur. The altered version allegedly made it appear as though Bajwa was supporting Bikram Singh Majithia, who is presently in police custody.

Bajwa said the doctored video was widely shared by AAP leaders from their official social media handles to mislead the public and damage his and the Congress' reputation. He claimed the intent was to divert attention from the "unlawful actions" of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau officials, including alleged misconduct involving entry into a woman legislator’s private space.

In this complaint, he attached a pendrive containing both the original and allegedly edited videos. Bajwa urged the police to register an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, and to initiate immediate investigation into what he calls a "politically motivated attempt to tarnish" his public image.