The Indian Army has rejected as false and baseless a social media claim alleging that Sunita Dwivedi, wife of former Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, has filed for divorce over an alleged extramarital affair.
The Army’s fact-checking handle on X, MythbusterXX, termed the claim a fabricated narrative being circulated by Pakistan-based propaganda accounts to target senior Indian military leadership through personal and defamatory allegations.
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The false claim surfaced after several posts circulated on social media platforms, including one by an account named Baba Thoka, alleging that Sunita Dwivedi had sought divorce after discovering an alleged relationship between General Dwivedi and his stenographer Anita Yadav. “Ex Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi’s wife Mrs Sunita Dwivedi has filed for divorce after she discovered her husband is having a an affair with his stenographer Anita Yadav,” the fake claim read.
Rejecting the allegations, the Indian Army stated that the claim was “completely false” and originated from disinformation networks attempting to malign the image of India’s military leadership.
The Army also pointed out that an unrelated photograph was deliberately misrepresented to lend credibility to the false narrative. The original context of the photograph was a public interaction in which General Upendra Dwivedi was honoured for his service and leadership.
The Army highlighted a recurring disinformation pattern followed by such accounts, creating a fabricated personal controversy, attaching unrelated images, and spreading unverified allegations to mislead the public.
“Verify before sharing. Trust official statements, verified evidence and credible news sources, not anonymous propaganda accounts,” the Army’s fact-check message stated.
General Upendra Dwivedi assumed charge as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on June 30, 2024, succeeding General Manoj Pande. A veteran infantry officer of the 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, General Dwivedi has served the Indian Army for over four decades, holding several important command and staff appointments.
The Indian Army reiterated that attempts to spread fake personal allegations against military leaders are part of a broader misinformation campaign aimed at undermining trust in national institutions.
The force urged citizens to rely on verified sources and exercise caution while consuming and sharing information on social media platforms.
