Fact Check Desk

Mumbai:  The Bombay High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking to quash a criminal defamation case lodged against him over alleged remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The complaint was filed by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, Mahesh Shrishrimal, who objected to Mr. Gandhi’s alleged references to the Prime Minister as “Choro Ke Sardar” and “Commander-in-Thief” during a political speech. The complainan

A dramatic action-packed video circulating on social media, claiming to show the killing of Mexican drug lord El Mencho , has been found to be misleading. Fact-checkers have confirmed that the footage is not recent and does not depict El Mencho at all. Who Is El Mencho? The viral posts falsely claim that the video shows the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes , also known as El Mencho, the alleged leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). However, there is no credib

As technology companies accelerate the rollout of consumer-ready humanoid robots for domestic use, privacy advocates and cybersecurity experts are raising serious concerns about surveillance, data harvesting and the often-overlooked human operators behind these intelligent machines. From Smart Speakers to Humanoid Assistants Home technology has evolved rapidly over the past decade — from smart speakers and connected cameras to AI-powered assistants capable of managing daily r

A sensational video circulating on social media claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi  admitted that India’s Rafale fighter jets were destroyed by Pakistan has been conclusively debunked as a deepfake — a digitally manipulated video generated using artificial intelligence . 🔍 What the Viral Claim Says The video clip, shared widely across platforms such as X and Facebook, purported to show Prime Minister Modi acknowledging that India’s Rafale jets were shot down by Pakis

Meerut —  Prime Minister Narendra Modi  is set to inaugurate the Meerut Metro project and flag off the Namo Bharat train service today, marking a significant milestone in India’s urban transport expansion. The Meerut Metro is being described as India’s fastest metro system , with a maximum operational speed of around 120 kmph , setting a new benchmark for intra-city rapid transit. 🚆 India’s Fastest Metro The Meerut Metro system will operate at a top speed of approximately 12

Colombo — A section of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka has strongly criticised the government, alleging that there is an “organised campaign” underway to undermine and tarnish Buddhism in the island nation, where the religion holds a constitutionally protected status. The monks claimed that recent administrative decisions, public statements, and certain legal actions reflect a pattern that could weaken the position of Buddhism and its institutions. 📌 Allegations by the Clergy Sp

New Delhi —  A Delhi court has framed charges against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav , former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi , and several others in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The case, being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), pertains to appointments made in the Indian Railways during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009. 📌 What the Case Is About The CBI has alleged that: Several individuals

Raipur —  The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the final electoral rolls for Chhattisgarh , reporting a net increase of 2,34,994 voters  compared to the draft rolls published earlier. However, the move has sparked political controversy, with the Congress alleging that names of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and minority community members were deliberately deleted. 📊 Voter List Sees Net Increase According to the Election Commission: The final vot

Kota, Rajasthan —  A man has been detained in Kota after allegedly issuing threats to shoot senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other Members of Parliament from the party, police officials said on Saturday. According to Tejaswani Gautam, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kota, the police took suo motu action  after becoming aware of the threatening communication and swiftly moved to detain the accused. 🚨 Threat Allegedly Issued Police sources said the accused allegedly made

A video circulating widely on social media claims to show militants from the Islamic State attacking an airport in Nigeria. However, a fact check has revealed that the footage is not from Nigeria but from neighbouring Niger. According to an investigation by India Today Fact Check, the viral clip was miscaptioned and shared with incorrect location details, leading to confusion among viewers. What the viral claim said Social media posts alleged that Islamic State militants had

A claim circulating on social media alleges that disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein was secretly the creator of Bitcoin, citing a purported email as “proof.” However, fact-checkers have found no credible evidence to support the authenticity of the email or the claim. According to an investigation by India Today Fact Check and other independent verification efforts, the viral screenshot of an alleged email suggesting Epstein’s connection to Bitcoin lacks verifiable s

A video circulating on social media claims that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised Pakistan following the T20 World Cup, suggesting a sudden “U-turn” in his stance. However, a fact check has found the video to be manipulated. According to an investigation by India Today Fact Check, the viral clip was altered using AI-based tools to distort Tharoor’s original remarks. The manipulated video falsely portrays him as making statements that he never actually said. What the viral cl

A video circulating on social media recently claimed that militants had captured an Indian Air Force helicopter in Manipur, sparking concern and speculation online. However, a fact check has found the claim to be false. According to an investigation by India Today’s Fact Check team, the viral video was not related to any militant takeover. Instead, it was recorded by personnel of the Manipur Police India Reserve Battalion during an official operation. What the viral claim sai

On Thursday, February 19, 2026 , the Supreme Court of India  disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) against the upcoming Netflix film Ghooskhor Pandat  after the filmmaker withdrew the controversial title  and assured the court that the film would not target or demean any community. 🎬 Background of the Controversy The film, directed by Neeraj Pandey  and starring Manoj Bajpayee , attracted criticism after its teaser was released  in early February. Some groups object

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed concern over what he described as an “alarming trend” of highly educated individuals getting involved in anti-national activities, stressing that knowledge without values can pose serious risks to society. Speaking at a public event, the Minister referred to a recent Delhi bomb blast case, pointing out that some of the accused were medical professionals. “Perpetrators of the Delhi bomb blast were doctors – those who write ‘Rx’ on p

Political tensions intensified in Assam after state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said that MP Gaurav Gogoi is merely the “face” of the Assam Congress, while senior leader Rakibul Hussain remains its “sole base.” Borah’s remarks have triggered fresh debate within political circles about leadership dynamics and internal alignments within the Assam unit of the Congress. Leadership Equation in Assam Congress Speaking to reporters, Borah clarified that Gogoi represents th

Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly dragging the family and children of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi into a “Pakistan link” controversy. Addressing reporters during her visit to Assam, Priyanka Gandhi termed the remarks “unfortunate” and said political differences should not extend to targeting family members, especially children. ‘Keep Politics Away From Families’ Priyanka Gandhi said that whil

Political temperatures have risen in Uttar Pradesh after Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak publicly backed seer Swami Prasad Saraswati’s demand for strict action against police officials allegedly involved in a clash with him. The development has added a new dimension to the ongoing political churn surrounding Brahmin outreach in the state. The controversy comes amid reports of a tussle between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the seer following an alleged confrontation

Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Devda on Tuesday presented a ₹4.38 lakh crore budget for the financial year, with a strong emphasis on welfare initiatives for women. The budget places women-centric schemes at the forefront, signaling the state government’s continued focus on social security and empowerment. ₹23,882 Crore for Ladli Behna Scheme A major highlight of the budget is the allocation of ₹23,882 crore for the Ladli Behna scheme. Under the flagship programme, e

Bhopal:  The Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly  witnessed high drama after Congress MLAs staged a protest inside the Assembly complex over the alleged water contamination issue in Indore . Carrying bottles filled with what they claimed was contaminated water supplied in parts of Indore, Opposition legislators accused the state government of failing to address a serious public health crisis. The protest was held in the Assembly premises in Bhopal as the session was underway.