Deepfake Video of Piyush Goyal: Government Removes Social Media Links After Minister Files Police Complaint

Government sources have confirmed the removal of multiple social media links related to an AI-generated deepfake video targeting Union Minister Piyush Goyal. The move follows the minister's allegation that his remarks outside Parliament were maliciously altered to spread misinformation.

On Saturday, July 25, 2026, Mr. Goyal took to X (formerly Twitter) to flag a digitally altered clip of his media interaction. He stated that the video had been tampered with using artificial intelligence to create a deepfake, which was circulated with the intention of misleading the public. The manipulated content falsely portrayed him as making threatening remarks against students protesting the NEET examination issue.

In his post, Mr. Goyal said, 'Irresponsible misuse of AI to mislead the public cannot and will not be tolerated.' He confirmed lodging a police complaint, adding that an FIR (No. 123/26) was registered at Chanakyapuri Police Station at 4:35 AM on the same day. He warned of strict legal action against anyone involved in creating, disseminating, or deliberately promoting the fake video.

Government sources told PTI that many links related to the deepfake video have been taken down. The minister urged citizens to rely only on verified and authentic sources, expressing faith that India's aware and tech-savvy youth would not fall prey to such misinformation.

The incident occurs amid ongoing student protests organised at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi by the Cockroach Janata Party, demanding reforms in medical entrance and competitive examinations. Social media has seen a surge in content related to the demonstrations, prompting authorities to caution users against unverified videos and posts.