Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu said the party would approach the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) seeking a high-level investigation into the origin and circulation of the video.
Image: IANS
The political row surrounding a controversial video allegedly linked to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann further intensified on Thursday, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) presenting what it described as independent forensic assessments to contest claims that the person seen in the footage is the Chief Minister.
Addressing a press conference in Mohali, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu said the party would approach the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) seeking a high-level investigation into the origin and circulation of the video, which has triggered a political and religious controversy in the state.
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Cheema claimed that the footage had been examined by two government-recognised laboratories located outside Punjab. According to him, the analysis involved a detailed comparison of facial features, physical build, height, body posture, and movement patterns from multiple reference points. He said the findings of both laboratories concluded that the individual appearing in the video was not Bhagwant Mann.
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The minister alleged that the footage was created using another individual to resemble the Chief Minister and accused political opponents of attempting to damage Mann’s public image. He maintained that the reports were based on extensive technical examination and asserted that the conclusions did not support allegations linking the Chief Minister to the video.
Conspiracy to malign Chief Minister @BhagwantMann exposed !
Two reputed, independent forensic labs have examined the video and reached the same conclusion: the individual seen in the footage is NOT CM Bhagwant Mann.
Facial comparison, height analysis, body structure, posture,… pic.twitter.com/69ktnU52pJ
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) June 18, 2026
Without providing specific evidence at the press conference, Cheema alleged that leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal, including party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, were behind what he described as a campaign to politically target the Chief Minister. He further claimed that efforts to discredit Mann had intensified after the Punjab government’s recent legislative initiatives related to cases of sacrilege.
The minister also accused the Akali Dal of attempting to inflame public sentiment and create unrest through the circulation of what he termed a fabricated video. Referring to past controversies, he cited incidents such as the 2015 Bargari sacrilege case and the subsequent police firing at Behbal Kalan, alleging that similar attempts had been made in the past to exploit sensitive religious issues for political purposes.
AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu said the party delegation would meet the Punjab DGP to demand a comprehensive probe into the alleged conspiracy behind the video and identify those responsible for producing and distributing it. He said the investigation should extend to all individuals involved, irrespective of whether they are located in India or abroad.
Pannu also questioned certain aspects of the footage, claiming that technical details visible in the video raised doubts about its authenticity. He alleged that the controversy surfaced at a time when legal proceedings related to the Behbal Kalan firing case had gathered pace, suggesting that political motives could be behind the circulation of the content.
The controversy stems from a video that surfaced online last year, in which a person alleged to be Mann was purportedly seen holding a glass of liquor in the presence of portraits of Sikh Gurus and other revered figures. The footage drew criticism from opposition parties and several Sikh organisations, which described it as an act offensive to religious sentiments.
AAP has consistently rejected the allegations, maintaining that the video is manipulated and does not depict the Chief Minister. The party’s latest claims are based on the laboratory reports it presented on Thursday.
The development comes amid continuing debate over the authenticity of the footage. While AAP has relied on forensic assessments to challenge the allegations, the matter remains politically contentious, with rival parties continuing to question the Chief Minister’s conduct and the circumstances surrounding the video.
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