BJP councillor files defamation case over ‘AI video’, AAP candidate booked

Surat: A sitting BJP councillor has filed a defamation complaint against an AAP candidate at Godadara police station, alleging circulation of a fake AI-generated video to malign his image.Amit Singh Rajput, currently a councillor from Ward-26 (Godadara-Dindoli) of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and a former BJP leader in the civic body, alleged that the accused created and shared a video on social media portraying him in a criminal light.In his complaint filed on Saturday, Rajput said he came across an AI-generated video in which a person resembling him was shown in handcuffs. The accused, identified as Shravan Joshi, allegedly used Rajput's images and linked them with past news reports to falsely suggest his involvement in serious crimes, including murder, abduction and molestation. The video, accompanied by scripted audio, was aimed at defaming him, Rajput alleged.Police said the video had garnered significant traction on social media, with nearly 2,900 likes and over 268 shares on Facebook by Sunday evening.Based on the complaint, Godadara police registered an FIR against Joshi under Sections 356(2) and 356(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 66-C of the Information Technology Act.Notably, Joshi was declared the AAP candidate for Ward-26 in the upcoming SMC elections just hours after the FIR was registered. The ward is currently represented by Rajput.The development comes amid escalating political tensions in the city. Last week, five FIRs were filed against 18 AAP workers for allegedly defaming the BJP using forged documents. The cases were registered after posters criticising BJP policies surfaced in areas including Dindoli, Puna, Katargam, Utran and Pandesara.