#FactCheck: Edited video falsely shows Akshay Kumar commenting on ‘Declassified: Operation Sindoor’ documentary

A word rooted in medical terminology keeps getting mistaken for a word rooted in technology, and that confusion is not just semantic. On 6 August 2026, it sat at the heart of a case where police in Uttar Pradesh reportedly treated the absence of WhatsApp chats, call recordings, and social media material as grounds to disbelieve a sexual assault complaint altogether, before the Allahabad High Court intervened. For an organisation working at the intersection of digital literacy and public safety, this case is less a story about a legal term and more a case study in how assumptions about digital evidence, when left unchecked, can become a barrier to justice rather than a tool for it. "Digital" here refers to a finger, not a device, and the gap between what police expected and what the law actually required is exactly where this case becomes instructive. Digital rape has nothing to do with the internet. Digit simply means finger, and the word describes non-consensual penetration by a finger, thumb, toe, or similar body part or object. That basic clarification matters because the same investigating officers who were expected to know the law also appear to have leaned on a mistaken evidentiary standard, one where a complaint without a digital trail was treated as a complaint without merit. The judgment that followed says as much about how the criminal justice system treats sexual assault complaints, and how it treats digital evidence, as it does about legal terminology.

The case, in brief

The matter is Arpit Gupta v. State of U.P. and 2 others, 2026 LiveLaw (AB) 571, neutral citation 2026:AHC:168404-DB, decided by a Division Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh and Justice Tarun Saxena. Arpit Gupta, the owner of a Noida based real estate firm, Parit Associates (OPC) Private Limited, approached the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking to quash an FIR registered against him at Wave City police station, Ghaziabad, alleging rape, sexual harassment, and criminal intimidation. The complainant, a former employee of Gupta's company, alleged sustained workplace sexual harassment culminating in an act legally categorised as digital penetration, along with subsequent threats and intimidation. She resigned in April 2026. What followed procedurally is where the case becomes significant: Gupta filed a separate extortion complaint against her, she was arrested and later released on bail, and only after that sequence did she attempt to formally report the sexual assault, a report the police initially declined to register.

What followed complicates the picture considerably, and is central to why the case reached the High Court at all. On 14 April 2026, Gupta filed his own FIR against the complainant alleging extortion, claiming she had demanded 10 crore rupees from him. She was arrested in connection with that case and secured bail on 21 May 2026.  After her release, she attempted to register her own complaint of sexual assault, but police at Wave City station declined to register an FIR. A written complaint dated 7 July 2026 addressed directly to the Commissioner of Police, Ghaziabad, also produced no result. The police investigating officer's report, dated 16 July 2026, went further still, terming her allegations false and characterising the sexual assault complaint as a retaliatory counter-blast to Gupta's extortion case, citing in particular the absence of supporting electronic material such as WhatsApp chats, call recordings, or social media evidence. Only after she approached a Magistrate under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, did the FIR finally get registered, by Magisterial order dated 20 July 2026.

The legal terminology: what "digital rape" actually means under BNS

Section 63 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which replaced Section 375 of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, defines rape. Clause (b) of Section 63 extends that definition to cover non-penile penetrative acts, specifically insertion, to any extent, of any object or body part other than the penis into specified parts of a woman's body, done without her consent or against her will, subject to the circumstances of absent consent set out in the section. Digital penetration, meaning penetration by finger or thumb, falls squarely within this clause. There is no standalone offence in the BNS titled "digital rape"; the term is a widely used medico-legal shorthand, not a separate statutory category, and the offence itself is prosecuted and punished as rape under Section 64 BNS, which prescribes the punishment provisions. In this particular case, the FIR reportedly also invoked Sections 74, 75(2), and 76 BNS, provisions dealing with assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage modesty, sexual harassment by a person in a position of authority, and related offences, alongside Section 351(3) BNS concerning criminal intimidation.

CyberPeace View

This is where the case circles back to the concern raised at the outset. The most instructive part of this judgment for the wider public may not be the definition of digital rape at all, but the police's original insistence on WhatsApp chats and call recordings before treating the complaint as credible. That reflex, a growing habit of associating the credibility of any complaint with the existence of a corresponding digital trail, reflects a wider and increasingly common misunderstanding about how evidence actually works in criminal law. Not every offence leaves an electronic footprint, and sexual assault, by its nature, frequently occurs without any accompanying digital record at all. Treating the absence of a chat log or a recording as evidence of falsehood inverts the legal presumption entirely, and risks turning digital literacy gaps within law enforcement into a structural barrier for genuine complainants who have no messages to produce because none were ever exchanged. As India's criminal justice system increasingly interacts with digital evidence, this case is a useful reminder that digital forensics should supplement an investigation, never gatekeep its starting point.

There is a genuinely technology rooted counterpart to this terminology confusion worth flagging, and it sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from where this case began. While "digital rape" has nothing to do with computers, "virtual rape" very much does, and it is an emerging harm India's legal framework is still catching up to. In January 2024, British police opened what was reported as the first investigation of its kind after a minor's avatar was allegedly gang assaulted by other avatars on Meta's metaverse platform, and similar incidents, avatars groped or sexually harassed within minutes of entering platforms like Horizon Worlds, have been documented repeatedly since, including a widely reported case involving psychotherapist Nina Jane Patel as far back as 2021. These incidents involve no physical contact whatsoever, yet researchers and legal scholars studying virtual reality note that immersive VR environments are specifically engineered to create a sense of embodiment, where the brain processes an avatar's violation as something closer to a real bodily experience than a typical online interaction, producing genuine trauma responses in victims. India's legal position here remains only partially settled. The POCSO Act's coverage of non-contact sexual abuse of minors likely extends to avatar based assaults on children, but adult victims of virtual sexual violence in India currently have no clearly dedicated statutory provision, leaving prosecutors to stretch existing harassment and outraging modesty provisions, originally drafted for a physical world, onto a form of harm the legislature has not yet explicitly addressed. As metaverse and VR platforms grow their user base in India, that gap is one worth closing before, rather than after, a case forces the question, much as this one forced the question of how police ought to treat digital evidence.

Conclusion

Two lessons run through this judgment. First, that the law's protection of bodily autonomy extends well beyond narrow, traditional definitions of penetration, a principle Section 63(b) BNS makes explicit. Second, that a complainant reporting a cognizable offence cannot be made to investigate her own case before the police will even open a file. FIR registration is not conviction, and conviction requires investigation, evidence, and trial to follow. What this case asks of the system is simpler than any of that: register the complaint, then do the work of finding out what happened.

References

1. https://www.barandbench.com/news/digital-rape-allahabad-hc-orders-inquiry-against-senior-ghaziabad-police-officers-for-not-filing-fir
2. https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/allahabad-high-court/allahabad-hc-police-cant-refuse-fir-sexual-complaint-non-production-evidence-545374

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Executive Summary

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Nepal witnessed severe devastation after floods struck the country on August 26, 2026. Amid this, a video showing a bridge being swept away by floodwaters is being widely shared on social media. Some users are sharing the video claiming that it shows scenes of destruction caused by the floods in Nepal.A research done by the Research Wing of the CyberPeace found that the video being shared with the claim of flood devastation in Nepal is AI-generated. However, it is true that the floods in Nepal have claimed hundreds of lives.

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Claim

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A user on X shared the video with the caption: “Scenes of devastation in Nepal after the disaster.”

https://www.instagram.com/reels/Dch-EmYNUwz/ 

https://perma.cc/5VY5-ZFCN?type=standard 

Fact Check

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We closely examined the video showing the bridge being swept away. A person can be seen standing on top of a truck, which appears unnatural in such a situation. Moreover, even as the bridge collapses, the people on it do not appear to fall directly into the water. These observations led us to suspect that the video was likely AI-generated.

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We scanned the viral video using the AI detection tool ‘WasItAI’, which identified it as 99 percent AI-generated.

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Meanwhile, another AI detection tool, Sightengine, also identified the video as 99 percent AI-generated.

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Conclusion:

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A video being shared with the claim that it shows devastation caused by floods in Nepal is actually from the shooting of an Indonesian TV serial, while another viral video is AI-generated.

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Introduction

In order to effectively deal with growing cyber crime and threats the Telangana police has taken initiative by launching Law Enforcement Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) Council, an innovative project launched in Telangana, India, which is a significant response to the growing cyber threat landscape. With cyber incidents increasing in the recent years and concerning statistics such as a tenfold rise in password-based attacks and an increase in ransomware attacks, the Council aims to strengthen the region's digital defenses. It primarily focuses on reducing vulnerability, improving resilience, and providing real-time threat intelligence. By promoting partnerships between the public and private sectors, offering legal and regulatory guidance, and facilitating networking and learning opportunities, this collaborative effort involving industry, academia, and law enforcement is a crucial move towards protecting critical infrastructure and businesses from cyber threats, the Telangana police in partnership with industry and academia, has launched the Law Enforcement CISO (Chief Information Security Officers) Council of India on 7^th October 2023. Chief of the Central Crime Station Stephen Ravindra said that the forum is a path-breaking initiative and the Council represents an open platform for all the enforcement agencies in the country. The upcoming inititiative inculcate close association with different stakeholders, which includes government departments, startups, centers of excellence and international collaborations, carving a nieche for a sturdy cybersecurity envirnoment. 

Enhancing Cybersecurity is the Need of the Hour:

The recent launch of the Law Enforcement CISO Council in Hyderabad, India emphasized the need for government organizations and industries to prioritize the protection of their digital space. Cyber incidents, ransomware attacks, and threats to critical infrastructure have been on the rise, making it essential to take proactive cybersecurity measures. Disturbing statistics regarding cyber threats, such as password-based attacks, BEC (Business Email Compromise) attempts, and vulnerabilities in the supply chain, highlight the importance of addressing these issues urgently. This initiative aims to provide real-time threat intelligence, legal guidance, and encourages collaboration between public and private organizations in order to combat cybercrime. Given that every cyber attack has criminal elements, the establishment of these councils is a crucial step towards minimizing vulnerabilities, enhancing resilience, and ensuring the security of our digital world.

International Issue & Domestic Issue:

The announcement by the Telangana State Police, is a proactive step to form a first-of-its-kind Law Enforcement CISO Council (LECC), as part of an initiative from the State government to give a further impetus to cyber security. Jointly with its law enforcement partners, the Telangana Police has decided to make cyber cops more efficient and shape them on par with the technology advancements. The Telangana police have proved its commitment for a secure cyber environment by recovering INR 2.2 crore and  INR 6.8 crore lost by people in cyber frauds which is industry’s highest rate of helping the victims. 

The Police department complemented efforts by corporate executives for their personal interest in the subject and mentioned police officers’ expertise and inputs from professionals from the industry need to work cohesively to prevent further increase in the number of cyber crime cases. Data indicates that the exponential increase in cyber threats in recent times necessitates an informed and prudent action with the cooperation and collaboration of the IT Department of Telangana, centers of excellence, start-ups, white hats or ethical hackers, and international associations.

A report from Telangana commissioner states the trend of a surge in the number of cyber incidents and vulnerabilities of Government organizations, Critical Infrastructure and MSMEs and stressed that every cyber security breaches have an element of criminality in it. The Law Enforcement CISO Council is a progressive step in this direction which ensures a reduced cyber attacks, enhanced resilience, actionable strategic and tactical real-time threat intelligence, legal guidance, opportunities for public private partnerships, networking, learning and much more.

The Secretary of SCSC, shared some alarming statistics on the threats that are currently rampant across the digital world. To combat it in today’s era of widespread digital dependence, the program launched by the Telangana Police stands as a commendable step or an initiative that offers a glimmer of aspiration. It brings together all the heroes who want to protect the digital spaces and counter the growing number of threats.

Contribution of Telangana Police for carving a niche to be followed:  

The launch of the Law Enforcement CISO Council in Telangana represents a pivotal step in addressing the pressing challenges posed by escalating cyber threats. As highlighted by the Director General of Police, the initiative recognizes the critical need to combat cybercrime, which is growing at an alarming rate. The Council not only acknowledges the casual approach often taken towards cybersecurity but also aims to rectify it by fostering collaboration between law enforcement, industry, and academia.

One of the most significant positive aspects of this initiative is its commitment to sharing intelligence, ensuring that the hard-earned lessons from cyber fraud victims are translated into protective measures for others. By collaborating with the IT Department of Telangana, centers of excellence, startups, and ethical hackers, the Council is poised to develop robust Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) and innovative tools to counter cyber threats effectively.

Moreover, the Council's emphasis on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) underscores its proactive approach in dealing with the evolving landscape of cyber threats. It offers a platform for networking and learning, enabling information sharing, and will contribute to reducing the attack surface, enhancing resilience, and providing real-time threat intelligence. Additionally, the Council will provide legal and regulatory guidance, which is crucial in navigating the complex realm of cybercrime. This collective effort represents a promising way forward in safeguarding digital spaces, critical infrastructure, and industries against cyber threats and ensuring a safer digital future for all.

‍Conclusion:

The Law Enforcement CISO Council in Telangana is an innovative effort to strengthen cybersecurity in the state. With the rise in cybercrimes and vulnerabilities, the council brings together expertise from various sectors to establish a strong defense against digital threats. Its goals include reducing vulnerabilities, improving resilience, and ensuring timely threat intelligence. Additionally, the council provides guidance on legal and regulatory matters, promotes collaborations between the public and private sectors, and creates opportunities for networking and knowledge-sharing. Through these important initiatives, the CISO Council will play a crucial role in establishing digital security and protecting the state from cyber threats.

References:

• http://www.uniindia.com/telangana-police-launches-india-s-first-law-enforcement-ciso-council/south/news/3065497.html
• https://indtoday.com/telangana-police-launched-indias-first-law-enforcement-ciso-council/
• https://www.technologyforyou.org/telangana-police-launched-indias-first-law-enforcement-ciso-council/
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/victims-of-cyber-fraud-get-back-rs-2-2-cr-lost-money-in-bank-a/cs/articleshow/104226477.cms?from=mdr

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