Government removes links to AI deepfake of union minister Piyush Goyal

Many social media links related to an AI-generated deepfake video of Piyush Goyal have been taken down, government sources said on Saturday, as the union minister alleged that his remarks to the media outside Parliament were "maliciously" altered in a clip to spread misinformation, and that he has lodged a police complaint on the issue.

The move comes after a purported digitally-altered video of Goyal surfaced on social media, portraying him as making threatening remarks against students participating in the ongoing nationwide protests over the NEET examination issue.

In a X post early Saturday, Goyal asserted that irresponsible misuse of artificial intelligence to mislead the public cannot and will not be tolerated.


Government sources told PTI that many links related to the AI-generated deepfake video have been taken down.

Minister for Commerce and Industry Goyal, in his post, flagged the altered videoclip of his conversation with the media outside Parliament. He wrote that the video has been maliciously tampered with using AI to create a deepfake, which is being circulated on social media with the intent to spread misinformation.

"I have lodged a complaint with the police in this regard, and today, on July 25, 2026, at 4:35 AM, an FIR (No. 123/26) has been registered at Chanakyapuri Police Station. Strict legal action will be taken against every individual involved in creating, disseminating, or deliberately promoting this fake video," Goyal warned.

He urged the public to rely only on verified and authentic sources for information.

"I have complete faith that India's aware and tech-savvy citizens, especially our youth, will not fall prey to such misinformation," he further said.

On Friday evening, the PIB fact-check unit too warned that Pakistani propaganda accounts were circulating an AI-generated deepfake video falsely depicting Union Minister Piyush Goyal making threatening remarks about protesting students.

The manipulated video surfaced against the backdrop of ongoing student protests organised by the Cockroach Janata Party at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, over irregularities in medical entrance and competitive examinations, and demanding reforms in the education system.

Social media has witnessed a surge in content related to the demonstrations, and authorities have repeatedly cautioned users against relying on unverified videos and posts circulating online.