During August 2026, a series of misleading, fabricated and falsely contextualised claims circulated across social media platforms and media accounts in Bharat. The claims covered electoral rolls, government policies, political leaders, public protests, national symbols, law and order incidents, public institutions, electronic voting machines, government schemes and other issues of public interest.
The incidents documented during the month included claims attributed to politicians, political supporters, social media influencers, journalists and media portals. Several of the claims relied on digitally altered graphics, manipulated images, AI-generated content or old videos presented as recent events. In other cases, genuine videos were accompanied by a false narrative or a context that was unrelated to the original incident.
A recurring pattern among the documented cases involved old footage being presented as evidence of recent political or social developments. Videos from earlier protests, political programmes, clashes and public events were circulated as though they had taken place in August 2026. Several such claims involved Independence Day, anti-reservation protests, student demonstrations and political gatherings.
The report also records multiple instances in which statements were falsely attributed to public figures. Digitally altered graphics were used to attribute remarks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others. Fact-check findings cited in the supplied incidents found no credible evidence supporting the attributed remarks.
Government policies and public institutions were also the subject of misleading claims. These included allegations concerning the E20 programme, UPI payments, PM CARES Fund expenditure, EVMs, government welfare schemes and the FCRA Amendment Bill. In several cases, figures or statements were presented without the context necessary to understand what they actually represented.
The incidents further included claims concerning communal narratives, public disorder and law-and-order situations. Videos were circulated with claims involving Muslim passengers, Kanwariyas, police personnel, BJP workers, student protesters and alleged political violence. Fact-check findings in the supplied cases found that several such videos either depicted different incidents or did not support the communal or political interpretation attached to them.
The documented incidents also show the use of artificial intelligence and digital manipulation in the creation or alteration of content. AI-generated videos and images were circulated in the name of government schemes and political events, while digitally altered graphics were used to attribute statements to political leaders and public figures.
The following cases cover the documented fact-check findings provided for August 2026:
1. Prakash Raj’s Claim of Electoral Roll Deletion in Bengaluru Debunked by Civic Officials
Actor Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) posted a video on August 11, 2026, claiming that his name had been arbitrarily removed from the electoral rolls in Bengaluru during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The claim was found to be false. Officials clarified that Prakash Raj’s name had not been arbitrarily deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll during the SIR exercise.
As of June 16, 2026, his name remained registered in 163-Shanthinagar Assembly Constituency at Serial No. 970, Part No. 1. Verification by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) had found that he had permanently shifted from his registered address.
Additionally, in late June 2026, a Bengaluru court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Prakash Raj over allegations that he possessed voter ID cards in multiple states.
2. Arvind Kejriwal’s Claim Linking India’s E20 Programme to US Ethanol Imports Found Misleading
The X account of political party Aam Aadmi Party (@AamAadmiParty) shared a video on August 3, 2026, in which Arvind Kejriwal accused India of “yielding” to US President Donald Trump by agreeing to purchase US ethanol.
Kejriwal alleged that the Indian government would import US$20 billion worth of US ethanol over the next five years. He further claimed that the introduction of E20 petrol was part of a hidden agenda to create a domestic market for imported US ethanol.
There was no evidence to support the claim. Ethanol used under India’s E20 (EBP) programme was sourced domestically, while ethanol imported from the US was meant for industrial and commercial purposes and not for petrol blending.
Furthermore, the available evidence was not strong enough to support the claim that the E20 policy had been introduced in India to create a market for US ethanol imports.
3. Martial Arts Video Falsely Given Communal Angle Involving a Muslim Passenger
X account handle Kapil $harma (@kapil_parod) shared a video on August 30, 2026, claiming that a man had deliberately performed martial arts-style stunts inside a bus in front of a Muslim passenger wearing a skull cap.
The claim was misleading. The video was shared in a false context, and no credible news report or reliable source supported the communal narrative.
In reality, the video had been shared by Mohammad Hussain, whose Instagram account featured several similar videos showing karate, Muay Thai, and kickboxing stunts.
There was no evidence that the man had deliberately performed the stunts in front of the Muslim passenger because of his religion. The communal angle was therefore misleading and unsupported.
4. Claim of 1.77-Inch Tilt in Bhakra Nangal Dam Wall Found Incorrect
X account handles Ravinder Bishnoi (@RavinderNadhori), Indians (@voicesindians) and Omkara (@OmkaraRoots) shared a video on August 27, 2026, claiming that the wall of the Bhakra Nangal Dam had tilted by 1.77 inches and that if the dam wall broke, many cities, including Delhi, were likely to be flooded.
The claim was misleading, and the video was shared out of context. No credible news reports or other reports emerged to substantiate the claim.
According to available official data, the actual deflection recorded in the Bhakra Dam wall on August 27, 2026, was 0.86 inches, not 1.77 inches. Therefore, the claim made on social media was not factual.
Parameters related to the dam, including stress, strain, pore pressure and seepage, were all within prescribed permissible limits. The dam was completely safe.
5. Old Jantar Mantar Video Was Falsely Linked to Recent Anti-Reservation Protest
X account handle GC_Revolution (@GC_Revolution) shared a video on August 24, 2026, claiming that it showed police lathi-charging protesters during a recent anti-reservation protest at Jantar Mantar.
Recent reports had confirmed that anti-reservation protests took place at Jantar Mantar in August 2026.
However, the claim was misleading. The video was shared in a false context, and no credible news report or official source supported the narrative that it showed police lathi-charging protesters during a recent anti-reservation protest at Jantar Mantar.
The footage was actually from the CJP protest held at Jantar Mantar on July 20, 2026, and was unrelated to the recent anti-reservation protest.
6. Jantar Mantar Police Action Video Shared With False Anti-Reservation Protest Claim
X account handle Paramveer Rathore (@ParamveerS36404) shared a video on August 24, 2026, claiming that it showed Delhi Police dragging protesters from buses and manhandling them during a recent anti-reservation protest.
The claim was misleading. No credible news report or verified source supported the claim that the footage showed Delhi Police manhandling anti-reservation protesters.
The footage was actually from the CJP protest held at Jantar Mantar on July 21, 2026, and was unrelated to the alleged recent anti-reservation protest.
7. Digitally Altered Prajatantra TV Graphic Falsely Attributed Remarks to PM Modi
LinkedIn account handle Manoj Keshan shared a post on August 21, 2026, claiming that a Prajatantra TV graphic attributed remarks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he had said during Mann Ki Baat that his father had served in Subhas Chandra Bose’s army.
The claim was fake and fabricated. The graphic had been digitally altered, and no credible news report or reliable source supported the claim.
The original Prajatantra TV graphic featured PM Modi’s remarks about staying connected with people through Instagram. The viral graphic had manipulated the original content to falsely attribute unrelated remarks to him.
8. Viral Video Misleadingly Claimed BJP MLA Assaulted Man Over Ribbon Colour in Assam
X account handle Desi Lord (@DesiLord_) shared a video on August 21, 2026, claiming that a BJP MLA in Assam had lost his temper and repeatedly slapped a person during a bridge inauguration because the ribbon was pink instead of red.
However, the claim was misleading. There were no verified or credible sources indicating that the MLA involved was a BJP member.
According to reports, the video was old and had been available online since at least March 2025. The person seen assaulting the individual was Bilasipara East MLA Shamsul Huda, who was associated with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) at the time of the incident.
There were no verified or credible reports suggesting that he had been serving as a BJP MLA when the incident occurred.
9. Saurav Das Made Misleading Claims Against Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra Over DA Ruling
X account handle CJP coordinator Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) shared a post on August 20, 2026, claiming that Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, had withdrawn a “politically sensitive” case concerning the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited’s (PSPCL) Dearness Allowance from another “independent” bench.
The August 3, 2026 order concerned pending Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief arrears estimated at Rs 14,000-15,000 crore, while broader employee-related dues were reported at Rs 18,000-21,000 crore. Therefore, Das’s claim of a Rs 20,000-crore liability was misleading. The Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor directed Punjab and PSPCL to release the pending DA and DR instalments within a fortnight.
There was no contemporaneous report or court record supporting Das’s claim that Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra had withdrawn the PSPCL DA case from another “independent bench” or violated the roster. The August 3 judgment was delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justice Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor.
As Acting Chief Justice, Justice Mishra was the master of the roster and could head such a bench. There was no public evidence of an illegal assignment in the matter.
10. False Claim That 87 percent of Indians Would Develop Cancer by 2035 Due to Adulterated Milk
X account handles Pintu Fauzdar (@PintuFauzdar_) and Sidd (@SirAbdullahSidd) shared a post on August 20, 2026, claiming that 68.7 per cent of milk and milk products sold in India were adulterated and did not meet FSSAI standards. The post also claimed that by 2035, 87 per cent of Indians were at risk of developing cancer due to their consumption.
The claim was baseless and misleading. The shared post was digitally altered and transmitted, and no reliable news reports or official sources were available to support the claim.
The WHO had clarified that it had not issued any such advisory to the Indian government warning that 87 per cent of Indians would be affected by cancer and other diseases by 2035 due to the adulteration of milk and milk products.
Therefore, the viral report was fake.
11. PM Modi’s Viral Class 10 Mark Sheet Was Fake
X account handle Bittu Sharma (@CommonBS786OM), identified in the source as a Congress supporter, shared a post on August 20, 2026, featuring a picture claimed to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Class 10 mark sheet.
The post showed marks purportedly obtained by PM Modi in Class 10 and claimed that he had scored 65 marks in English and that this was why he could not speak English.
The claim was fake and fabricated. The post had been digitally altered and shared out of context.
PM Modi had studied at Maharaj Shri Bhagavatacharya Narayanacharya High School in Vadnagar from 1963 to 1967. However, the viral mark sheet displayed the date March 15, 1968, and showed the name of a different school.
The image circulated as PM Modi’s Class 10 mark sheet was fake.
12. Sanjay Hegde Shared Fake Donald Trump Screenshot and Falsely Claimed Indian EVMs Would Be Used in US Election
X account handle Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde (@sanjayuvacha) shared a post on August 20, 2026, attributing a statement to Donald Trump about using Indian Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the 2028 US election.
Sanjay Hegde made a remark, saying, “If this deal went through, the source code would be available and audited.” His comment was aimed at fuelling conspiracy theories surrounding the use of EVMs during Indian elections. Opposition parties, including the Congress, had selectively cast aspersions on the EVM source code.
The claim was misleading. The post had been digitally altered and shared in a false context. A review of Donald Trump’s profile on Truth Social found no such post by the US President.
Instead, the post referenced Indian Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Trump’s post on Truth Social had highlighted that Indian elections carried sanctity and had robust identification methods to ensure that only valid voters cast their votes, which stood in direct contrast to the insinuations made by Sanjay Hegde.
13. Misleading Video Distorted PM Modi’s 2016 Remarks on Ambedkar and Caste Discrimination
X account handle Swami Anand Swaroop (@kalisenachief) shared a video on August 19, 2026, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for revenge over caste discrimination.
The claim was unfounded and misleading. The video was shared out of context, and no credible news report or reliable source supported the narrative.
In the full speech, PM Modi had praised Dr. B. R. Ambedkar for facing oppression without seeking revenge and for working for the nation.
14. NBT Graphic Edited to Falsely Attribute ‘24 Crore Jobs’ Claim to Sudhanshu Trivedi
X account handle Subhash Kumar Sharma (@sharmass27) shared a post on August 19, 2026, featuring an NBT graphic claiming that Sudhanshu Trivedi had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had 24 crore jobs in his fist and would release them by 2027.
The claim was fake and fabricated. The post had been digitally altered and shared in a false context, and no credible news report or source supported the claim.
The original graphic carried Sudhanshu Trivedi’s remarks about the Congress prioritising politics over students’ interests. No credible news report or source supported the claim regarding 24 crore jobs.
15. Australian PM Albanese Did Not Make Viral Claim About Modi and US Blackmailing India
X account handle Prof. KS Bhardwaj (@DrKSBhardwaj2) shared a post on August 19, 2026, claiming that the Prime Minister of Australia had said that the United States would continue to blackmail India because it possessed obscene videos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The claim was false. The post had been digitally altered and shared in a false context. No credible news report, official statement, verified source, or authentic social media post showed that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had made such a remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
There was also no reliable evidence to support the claim attributed to Albanese. The viral content had therefore misrepresented his statements and was misleading.
16. Edited Video Misleadingly Claimed PM Modi Walked Around During National Anthem
X account handles ‘Dont Be Afraid’ (@RebelVista31), Congress leader Sudhir Kumar Pandey (@sudhirkummar123), and ‘INDIAN’ (@Sweet_Parul) shared a video on August 16, 2026, showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting with Nitish Kumar and other leaders. The video was claimed to show PM Modi walking around while the national anthem was playing, thereby disrespecting it.
The claim was found to be false. The viral video was shared out of context and was from an event held in Siwan, Bihar, in June 2025.
The national anthem could not be heard playing during the portion of the video that went viral. Therefore, the claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi disrespected the national anthem was false.
17. Old Video From Syama Prasad Mookherjee Event Falsely Linked to Independence Day
X account handle Hansraj Meena (@HansrajMeena) shared a video on August 15, 2026, claiming that BJP workers had hoisted the party flag instead of the Tricolour on Independence Day.
The claim was misleading, and the video had been shared in a false context. The footage predated August 15 and had been posted on July 6, 2026, from Barrackpore, where it had been recorded during an event marking Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s birth anniversary.
18. CJP Protest Footage Falsely Passed Off as Independence Day Video
X account handle Congress supporter Ashish Kumar (@ashishk53542554) and CJP coordinator Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) shared a post on August 15, 2026, claiming that the video was from Rajiv Chowk Metro Station in Delhi at 10 am on August 15, Independence Day, where a crowd had gathered and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The claim was baseless and misleading. The video shared on social media was circulated out of context. It was not from August 15 but from July 20, when protesters associated with the CJP had created a ruckus and staged a demonstration at the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station.
According to available information, independent verification of the video yielded no credible news reports or accounts confirming the claim.
19. Old BJP Flag-Hoisting Video Falsely Linked to Independence Day Ceremony in Dhamtari
X account handle Congress supporter Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) shared a video on August 15, 2026, claiming that BJP workers had hoisted the party flag instead of the national flag on Independence Day in Dhamtari.
The viral claim was false, and the video had been shared in a false context. No credible news report or reliable source supported the claim.
The video had actually been recorded on March 22, 2026, during a BJP training programme in Kurud, Dhamtari district, and was unrelated to the Independence Day celebrations.
20. Old Manipur Video Falsely Linked to Chinese Soldiers Infiltrating Indian Territory
X account handles Sajidalimarwadi (@sajidalimarwadi) and Divya Kumari (@divyakumaari) shared a video on August 13, 2026, claiming that it showed an incursion by Chinese soldiers into Indian territory.
The claim was misleading, and the video was shared out of context. There were no credible news reports or accounts to substantiate the claim.
The video was not related to any incursion by Chinese troops into Indian territory. It showed an Assam Rifles convoy coming from the Ukhrul headquarters forcibly passing through a barricade set up by local women in Talui village amid rising tensions.
21. AI-Generated Videos Falsely Promoted Free Mobile Phones, Cars, Tractors and Scooters in PM Modi’s Name
Facebook account handle Yojanatak shared a video on August 13, 2026, claiming that several government schemes offering “free mobile phones,” “free cars,” “free tractors,” “free scooters” and “free bicycles” were being promoted through multiple videos featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The claim was baseless and false. The video was AI-generated and fake, and was circulated in a misleading manner using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name and footage. There were no credible news reports or official statements to support the claim.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not announced any scheme offering “free mobile phones,” “free cars,” “free tractors,” “free scooters” or “free bicycles.”
22. Digitally Altered Image Falsely Claimed PM Modi Disrespected the Tricolour
Instagram account handle sanjayadav768 shared a post on August 12, 2026, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had placed the Tricolour inappropriately beside him, thereby showing disrespect to the national flag.
The claim was fake and fabricated. The viral graphic had been digitally altered to falsely suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had placed the Tricolour inappropriately beside him, thereby showing disrespect to the national flag.
However, the original photograph published by News18 showed that the Tricolour had been positioned appropriately. Therefore, the viral image had been manipulated and circulated with a false narrative.
23. Old Ranchi Clash Video Falsely Linked to Recent Jharkhand Student Protest
X account handle তন্ l T͞anmoy l (@tanmoyofc) shared a video on August 10, 2026, claiming that it showed BJP supporters hijacking the recent student protest in Jharkhand and pelting stones at the police.
The claim was misleading, as the video had been shared in a false context. The footage did not show BJP supporters hijacking the recent student protest in Jharkhand or pelting stones at the police.
Instead, the video dated back to July 23 and showed a clash between Congress and BJP supporters during a protest outside the BJP office in Ranchi over allegations related to the NEET paper leak.
Thus, the video was unrelated to the recent student protest and was being circulated with a misleading narrative.
24. AI-Generated Image Falsely Linked to Student Protest Against Reservation at IIT Kanpur
X account handle ‘Reservation htao andolan’ (@reservehtaoando) shared a photograph on August 8, 2026, claiming that the image showed a protest against reservation staged by students at IIT Kanpur. In the viral photograph, students were seen holding placards bearing the slogan “Remove Reservation.”
The claim was baseless and misleading. The viral image was shared out of context, and no credible news or reports were found to substantiate the claim of a student protest against reservation at IIT Kanpur.
In fact, the viral image was AI-generated.
25. Fake Quote Falsely Attributed to Delhi CM Rekha Gupta About BJP’s Imminent End
Instagram account handle sanjayadav768 shared a post on August 6, 2026, claiming that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would bring down the entire party and that the BJP would soon come to an end.
The claim was fake and fabricated. The graphic was digitally altered and shared in a false context to mislead viewers. There was no credible evidence or authentic source confirming that she had ever made such a statement.
The original graphic did not contain the alleged statement, and the viral version had been manipulated to attribute a false remark to her.
26. Video Falsely Claimed BJP MLA Sanjay Kumar Singh Was Assaulted in Lalganj
On August 4, 2026, X account G K Gourav (@GouravGKRepots) shared a video claiming that it showed BJP MLA Sanjay Kumar Singh being assaulted by members of the public in Lalganj, Vaishali.
The claim was misleading, and the video was shared in a false context. No credible news report or reliable source supported the claim being circulated on social media.
In reality, the video showed JD(U) leader and Lalganj Assembly candidate Rajan Kundra being assaulted by angry locals in Gadai Sarai, Hajipur.
27. Claim That Modi Government Would Charge Users for UPI Payments Above Rs 2,000 Was False
An X account, Indian Gems (@IndianGems_), shared a post claiming that the Modi government was set to impose charges on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000.
The claim was false. Reports had only related to a proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain merchant UPI payments, which would have been paid by merchants, not consumers.
No decision had been taken to charge users for making UPI payments above ₹2,000. Person-to-person (P2P) UPI transfers had continued to remain free.
28. Six-Year-Old Video of Manoj Tiwari Was Shared with Misleading Claim Linking It to Bankipur Election
Facebook accounts Barmhastra Competitive Classes and Prakash Ka Report shared a video claiming that BJP leader Manoj Tiwari had appeared emotional after the Bankipur election results.
The claim was misleading, as the video was shared out of context. A TV9 report published on January 18, 2020, stated that Manoj Tiwari became emotional while recalling his days of struggle and remarked that the public would mock those who made fun of poverty.
The investigation revealed that the viral video was six years old and had no connection to the Bankipur election results.
29. Meerut Police Debunked False Claims That Kanwariyas Assaulted Police Personnel and Tore Uniforms
An X account, Muslim Voice Cell (@MuslimVoiceCell), shared posts claiming that Kanwariyas had assaulted police personnel in Meerut.
The posts alleged that the officers were dragged out of their police vehicle, beaten and had their clothes torn after responding to an accident involving a motorcycle rider and Kanwariyas. The posts further claimed that one police officer had fled into a sugarcane field to save his life but was chased and attacked with sticks.
The claim was false. Meerut Police clarified that the viral video had been shared with a misleading narrative. The incident had actually involved a clash between two groups of Kanwariyas following a collision.
Police had intervened to control the situation, and the crowd had attempted to pull two civilians, not police personnel, out of the police vehicle. Legal action was initiated against those involved.
30. WHO Never Warned That 87 percent of Indians Would Develop Cancer by 2035 Due to Adulterated Milk
An X account, Sarita Chaubey (@sarita25148177), shared a post claiming that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that 87 per cent of Indians would develop cancer by 2035 if milk adulteration was not stopped.
The claim was unfounded. The post was shared in a false context, and no credible news reports or reliable sources supported the claim. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had never issued such an advisory, and the Government of India had officially debunked the claim.
31. No Protest Demanding Amit Shah’s Resignation Took Place on Sansad Marg; Viral Video Was Old
X handles Gen-Z of India (@GenZ_of_India_) and Divya Kumari (@divyakumaari) shared a video claiming that a large number of youths had protested at Sansad Marg in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The claim was misleading. The viral video was shared out of context. The claim was not corroborated by any credible news report or official source.
The video was old and had been shared as footage of a protest on Sansad Marg demanding Amit Shah’s resignation. The official X handle of the New Delhi DCP had also dismissed the claim as false.
32. Viral Claim That High Court Banned EVMs Was False
An Instagram account, ashish_dubey_2004, shared a video claiming that a High Court had banned the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and ordered elections to be conducted using ballot papers instead.
The claim was unfounded. The video was misleading and shared with a false narrative. No credible news report or official source supported the claim.
Moreover, no such High Court order existed banning the use of EVMs or directing elections to be conducted using ballot papers.
33. Claim That Ration Card Holders Would Receive Rs 5,000 Under a Government Scheme Was Fake
An Instagram account, aapka_bhai77, shared a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that all ration card holders would receive Rs 5,000.
The account claimed that ration card holders had to fill out a form on the My Tahuko website before August 2, after which the government would send Rs 5,000 to their bank accounts.
The claim was fake and fabricated. The video was created using AI and shared in a misleading context. No credible news reports or official information supporting the claim were found. No such announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the central government.
34. Man in Viral Video Was Accused of Cheating, Not Attacked for Being Indian
An X account, NEWS POP (@NEWSPOPFFF), shared a post claiming that a video showing a man being assaulted depicted an Indian dressed as Bhagwan Shiv who had been beaten in Nepal.
NEWS POP (@NEWSPOPFFF) wrote that an Indian man dressed as Bhagwan Shiv had allegedly been assaulted in Nepal. The post said that a group had confronted him and asked him to leave the country. However, the location, circumstances and identities involved had not been independently verified.
The claim was misleading. The video had been shared in a false context, and no credible news report or reliable source had supported the narrative that the man was assaulted in Nepal for dressing as Bhagwan Shiv.
The video was actually from October 2025 and showed a man disguised as a Yog practitioner being assaulted after he was accused of cheating people. Therefore, the viral claim had misrepresented the incident and its context.
35. Rajdeep Sardesai’s Claim That PM CARES Fund Spent Only Rs 87 Lakh Since Inception Was Misleading
X account Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) shared a post claiming that the PM CARES Fund had accumulated Rs 8,452 crore by FY 2024-25 but had spent only Rs 87 lakh since its creation in March 2020.
Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) wrote that the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund, which had been set up in March 2020 during COVID-19 to deal with emergency and distress situations, had accumulated a corpus of Rs 8,452 crore by the end of FY 2024–25, but only Rs 87 lakh had been spent, as per the released audit reports. He also claimed that there was still no information on the source of the funds and that PM CARES had so far refused to divulge details under the RTI Act.
The claim was misleading. No credible news report or official source supported the claim that the PM CARES Fund had spent only Rs 87 lakh since its creation. The fund was established in March 2020 to address emergencies and distress situations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its official FAQ stated that its accounts were audited by an independent auditor.
The Rs 87 lakh figure represented expenditure during FY 2024-25, not the total expenditure since the fund was established.
36. Viral Claim About Independence Day Celebrations at Indian Missions Was Misleading
X account Journalist Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) shared a post claiming that the Independence Day celebration at the High Commission of India, London, had been incorrect or improperly conducted.
Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) wrote, “Hello HCI_London, remember to correct your mistake from next Independence Day. Don’t act like ‘Dimagi Naxal’.”
The post was misleading and mischievous and was shared in a false context. The External Ministry had clarified that Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations at Indian Missions and Posts were conducted according to the relevant rules and regulations of the Government of India.
The viral post therefore misrepresented the manner in which Independence Day was celebrated at HCI London. The images shown in the post were from the 77th Independence Day celebrations held at HCI London on August 15, 2023.
37. Claims Calling FCRA Bill a ‘Plunder of Christian Institutions’ Were Misleading; The Wire Promoted the Same Narrative
X account of media portal The Wire (@thewire_in) shared a video in which All India Christian Council (AICC) president and Primate Archbishop of the Good Shepherd Church of India, Joseph D’Souza, was seen describing the Foreign Contribution Amendment Bill, 2026 (FCRA Bill 2026) as the “plunder and theft” of Christian institutions and an agenda of the Sangh Parivar.
The Wire (@thewire_in) stated that the FCRA Amendment Bill was about the “plunder and theft of Christian institutions” and was an “agenda of the Sangh Parivar.” Archbishop Joseph D’Souza alleged that the Bill could pave the way for the takeover of Christian institutions’ properties and grant wide powers to the designated authority. He also claimed that the Bill violated the principles of natural justice.
The claim was misleading. An interview with Archbishop Joseph D’Souza, conducted by Karan Thapar, was broadcast on April 2, 2026. D’Souza was a Christian cleric who received foreign funding and had faced allegations regarding financial irregularities.
However, the Bill explicitly protected the religious character of places of worship. Even if an FCRA registration were cancelled, a church or other place of worship could not be seized or repurposed for other uses. While organisations could face cancellation of their FCRA registration for misuse of funds, such decisions could be legally challenged.
38. Meerut Police Debunked False Claims That Kanwariyas Assaulted Police Personnel and Tore Uniforms
X accounts of journalists Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) and Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) shared posts claiming that Kanwariyas had assaulted police personnel in Meerut.
They alleged that the officers were dragged out of their police vehicle, beaten and had their clothes torn after responding to an accident involving a motorcycle rider and Kanwariyas. The posts further claimed that one police officer had fled into a sugarcane field to save his life but was chased and attacked with sticks.
The claim was false. Meerut Police clarified that the viral video had been shared with a misleading narrative. The incident had actually involved a clash between two groups of Kanwariyas after a collision.
Police had intervened to control the situation, and the crowd had attempted to pull two civilians, not police personnel, out of the police vehicle. Legal action was initiated against those involved.
39. Yogi Adityanath Was Falsely Attributed a Controversial Remark About Mohan Bhagwat
An Instagram account, sanjayadav768, shared a post claiming that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had made a controversial remark about going abroad and extinguishing the stoves of others while addressing RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat.
The post was shared on August 31, 2026, along with a graphic that attributed the alleged statement to Yogi Adityanath. The claim was found to be unfounded and misleading.
The graphic had been digitally altered and falsely attributed the statement to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. No credible source, official statement, or reliable news report was found confirming that Yogi Adityanath had made the alleged remark while addressing Mohan Bhagwat.
The viral post therefore falsely attributed a controversial statement to Yogi Adityanath by using a digitally altered graphic.
40. False Claim Said the US Government Had Banned RSS and Its Members
Instagram accounts cjpbackup and cjpnewsofficial shared a post claiming that the US government had banned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its members.
The post was shared on August 28, 2026. The cjpbackup account used a digitally manipulated graphic to support the claim.
The claim was found to be unfounded and misleading. There was no official statement or credible report supporting the claim, and no reliable source confirmed that the US government had banned the RSS or its members.
The viral claim was therefore false and was circulated using a digitally manipulated graphic without credible evidence.
41. RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat Did Not Call the Tricolour Inauspicious; Viral Claim Was False
X account Kumar R. Talukdar (@Kumarjyoti49291) shared a post claiming that RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat had described the Tricolour as inauspicious and said that only the saffron flag represented Indian culture.
The post was shared on August 13, 2026, along with a graphic attributing the statement to Mohan Bhagwat.
The claim was found to be fake and fabricated. The graphic had been digitally altered and shared out of context to falsely attribute the statement to Bhagwat.
There was no credible evidence that Mohan Bhagwat had made any such statement describing the Tricolour as inauspicious or claiming that only the saffron flag represented Indian culture.
The viral claim was therefore false and based on a digitally altered graphic shared out of context.
A significant number of the cases involved digitally altered graphics, AI-generated images and videos, manipulated content and false attribution of statements. Claims were also repeatedly built around genuine photographs or videos that were presented with an unrelated date, location or narrative. Several old videos from earlier protests, political programmes and public events were circulated as recent incidents.
The fact-check findings also documented false claims involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yogi Adityanath, Mohan Bhagwat, Arvind Kejriwal, Rekha Gupta, Donald Trump, Anthony Albanese and other public figures. In several cases, the original material was available and showed that the viral version had been altered or taken out of context.
Other cases concerned claims about EVMs, UPI payments, the E20 programme, PM CARES Fund expenditure, government welfare schemes and the FCRA Amendment Bill. The documented findings showed that several of these claims either misrepresented available information or presented specific figures and assertions without the context necessary to support the viral narrative.
The incidents involving protests, communal narratives and law-and-order situations further demonstrate the importance of establishing the original source and circumstances of viral footage. Videos concerning Jantar Mantar, Independence Day events, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meerut and other locations were circulated with narratives that did not correspond with the incidents depicted in the original footage.
