#FactCheck-Stone Pelting Video from Mathura Misrepresented as Part of “Cockroach Janata Party” Campaign; Fact Check Reveals Old Incident
Executive Summary
A video showing stone pelting on vehicles is being widely shared on social media and falsely linked to a campaign called the “Cockroach Janata Party.” The claim suggests that people have taken to the streets and are attacking VIP vehicles by throwing stones. CyberPeace Research Wing research found that the video is from March and shows stone pelting on a police vehicle in Mathura following the killing of “Farasa Wale Baba.”
Claim
An 18-second viral clip circulating online shows a crowd throwing stones at passing vehicles. The video also contains overlaid text reading,“Cockroach sarkon par utar chuke hain, ab koi VIP nahi, ab sab barabar hain.”Users are sharing it as part of a supposed “Cockroach Janata Party” campaign.
Fact Check
A reverse image search of key frames shows that the clip was originally uploaded on multiple social media accounts on March 22–23, where it was described as an incident from Mathura following the death of a local figure known as “Farasa Wale Baba.” In those posts, the incident was reported as stone pelting on a police vehicle by miscreants.
Further verification found the same visuals in a video posted by NDTV India on March 21, 2026, with a caption stating that it showed stone pelting on police during unrest in Mathura after the death of “Farasa Wale Baba.”
Conclusion
The researchclearly confirms that the viral video has been misrepresented. The footage is from a March incident in Mathura involving unrest following a local death, and it has no connection to any “Cockroach Janata Party” campaign or VIP-targeted violence claims.
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Introduction
On 20th March 2024, the Indian government notified the Fact Check Unit (FCU) under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as the Fact Check Unit (FCU) of the Central Government. This PIB FCU is notified under the provisions of Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules 2023 (IT Amendment Rules 2023).
However, the next day, on 21st March 2024, the Supreme Court stayed the Centre's decision. The IT Amendment Rules of 2023 provide that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) can notify a fact-checking body to identify and tag what it considers fake news with respect to any activity of the Centre. The stay will be in effect till the Bombay High Court finally decides the challenges to the IT Rules amendment 2023.
The official notification dated 20th March 2024 read as follows:
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (v) of clause (b) of sub-rule (1) of rule 3 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Central Government hereby notifies the Fact Check Unit under the Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as the fact check unit of the Central Government for the purposes of the said sub-clause, in respect of any business of the Central Government.”
Impact of the notification
The impact of notifying PIB’s FCU under Rule 3(1)(b)(v)will empower the PIB’s FCU to issue direct takedown directions to the concerned Intermediary. Any information posted on social media in relation to the business of the central government that has been flagged as fake or false by the FCU has to be taken down by the concerned intermediary. If it fails to do so, it will lose the 'safe harbour' immunity against legal proceedings arising out of such information posted offered under Section 79 of IT Act, 2000.
Safe harbour provision u/s 79 of IT Act, 2000
Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000 serves as a safe harbour provision for intermediaries. The provision states that "an intermediary shall not be liable for any third-party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted by him". However, it is notable that this legal immunity cannot be granted if the intermediary "fails to expeditiously" take down a post or remove a particular content after the government or its agencies flag that the information is being used unlawfully. Furthermore, intermediaries are obliged to observe due diligence on their platforms.
Rule 3 (1)(b)(v) Under IT Amendment Rules 2023
Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of The Information Technology(Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 [updated as on 6.4.2023] provides that all intermediaries [Including a social media intermediary, a significant social media intermediary and an online gaming intermediary], are required to make "reasonable efforts” or perform due diligence to ensure that their users do not "host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share” any information that “deceives or misleads the addressee about the origin of the message or knowingly and intentionally communicates any misinformation or information which is patently false and untrue or misleading in nature or, in respect of any business of the Central Government, is identified as fake or false or misleading by such fact check unit of the Central Government as the Ministry may, by notification published in the Official Gazette, specify”.
PIB - FCU
The PIB - Fact Check Unit(FCU) was established in November 2019 to prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation about the Indian government. It also provides an accessible platform for people to report suspicious or questionable information related to the Indian government. This FCU is responsible for countering misinformation on government policies, initiatives, and schemes. The FCU is tasked with addressing misinformation about government policies, initiatives, and schemes, either directly (Suo moto) or through complaints received. On 20th March 2024,via a gazetted notification, the Centre notified the Press Information Bureau's fact-check unit (FCU) as the nodal agency to flag fake news or misinformation related to the central government. However, The Supreme Court stayed the Centre's notification of the Fact-Check Unit under IT Amendment Rules 2023.
Concerns with IT Amendment Rules 2023
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) amended the IT Rules of 2021. The ‘Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023’ (IT Amendment Rules 2023) were notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on 6 April 2023. The rules introduced new provisions to establish a fact-checking unit with respect to “any business of the central government” and also made other provisions pertaining to online gaming.
The Constitutional validity of IT Amendment Rules 2023 has been challenged through a writ petition challenging the IT Rules 2023 in the Bombay High Court. The contention is that the rules raise "serious constitutional questions," and Rule 3(1)(b)(v), as amended in 2023, impacts the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression would fall for analysis by the High Court.
Supreme Court Stays Setting up of FCU
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandra Hud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra convened to hear Special Leave Petitions filed by Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild of India and the Association of Indian Magazines challenging the refusal of the Bombay High Court to stay the implementation of the IT Rules 2023. The Supreme Court has stayed the Union's notification of the Fact-Check Unit under the IT Amendment Rules 2023, pending the Bombay High Court's decision on the challenges to the IT Rules Amendment 2023.
Emphasizing Freedom of Speech in the Democratic Environment
The advent of advanced technology has also brought with it a new generation of threats and concerns: the misuse of said technology in the form of deepfakes and misinformation is one of the most pressing concerns plaguing society today. This realization has informed the critical need for stringent regulatory measures. The government is rightly prioritizing the need to immediately address digital threats, but there must be a balance between our digital security policies and the need to respect free speech and critical thinking. The culture of open dialogue is the bedrock of democracy. The ultimate truth is shaped through free trade in ideas within a competitive marketplace of ideas. The constitutional scheme of democracy places great importance on the fundamental value of liberty of thought and expression, which has also been emphasized by the Supreme Court in its various judgements.
The IT Rules, 2023,provide for creating a "fact check unit" to identify fake or false or misleading information “in relation to any business of the central government "This move raised concerns within the media fraternity, who argued that the determination of fake news cannot be placed solely in the hands of the government. It is also worth noting that if users post something illegal, they can still be punished under laws that already exist in the country.
We must take into account that freedom of speech under Article 19 of the Constitution is not an absolute right. Article 19(2) imposes restrictions on the Right to Freedom of Speech and expression. Hence, there has to be a balance between regulatory measures and citizens' fundamental rights.
Nowadays, the term ‘fake news’ is used very loosely. Additionally, there is a dearth of clearly established legal parameters that define what amounts to fake or misleading information. Clear definitions of the terms should be established to facilitate certainty as to what content is ‘fake news’ and what content is not. Any such restriction on speech must align with the exceptions outlined in Article19(2) of the Constitution.
Conclusion
Through a government notification, PIB - FCU was intended to act as a government-run fact-checking body to verify any information about the Central Government. However, the apex court of India stayed the Centre's notification. Now, the matter is sub judice, and we hope for the judicial analysis of the validity of IT Amendment Rules 2023.
Notably, the government is implementing measures to combat misinformation in the digital world, but it is imperative that we strive for a balance between regulatory checks and individual rights. As misinformation spreads across all sectors, a centralised approach is needed in order to tackle it effectively. Regulatory reforms must take into account the crucial roleplayed by social media in today’s business market: a huge amount of trade and commerce takes place online or is informed by digital content, which means that the government must introduce policies and mechanisms that continue to support economic activity. Collaborative efforts between the government and its agencies, technological companies, and advocacy groups are needed to deal with the issue better at a higher level.
References
- https://egazette.gov.in/(S(xzwt4b4haaqja32xqdiksbju))/ViewPDF.aspx
- https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2015792
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/govt-notifies-fact-checking-unit-under-pib-to-check-fake-news-misinformation-related-to-centre/articleshow/108653787.cms?from=mdr
- https://www.epw.in/journal/2023/43/commentary/it-amendment-rules-2023.html#:~:text=The%20Information%20Technology%20Amendment%20Rules,to%20be%20false%20or%20misleading
- https://www.livelaw.in/amp/top-stories/supreme-court-kunal-kamra-editors-guild-notifying-fact-check-unit-it-rules-2023-252998
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/21/india-top-court-stays-government-move-to-form-fact-check-unit-under-it-laws
- https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Information%20Technology 28Intermediary%20Guidelines%20and%20Digital% 20Media%20Ethics%20Code%29%20Rules%2C%202021%20%28updated%2006.04.2023%29-.pdf
- 2024 SCC On Line Bom 360
A video clip of journalist Palki Sharma is being widely shared on social media. Along with the video, it is being claimed that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Middle East visit, she questioned Jordan’s diplomatic protocol.
In the viral clip, Palki Sharma is allegedly seen asking why Jordan’s King Abdullah II did not come to the airport to receive Prime Minister Modi, and whether this indicated a downgrade in the level of welcome.
However, an investigation by the Cyber Peace Foundation found this claim to be misleading. The probe revealed that while the visuals in the viral video are genuine, the audio has been altered using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
On the social media platform ‘X’, a user named “Ammar Solangi” shared this video on 18 December. The post claimed that the video was related to questions raised about Jordan’s diplomatic protocol during Prime Minister Modi’s visit. According to the post, Palki Sharma questioned why King Abdullah II did not receive Prime Minister Modi at the airport. The archive link of the viral post can be seen here: https://ghostarchive.org/archive/26aK0
Verification
During the investigation, the fact-check desk noticed the ‘Firstpost’ logo in the top-left corner of the viral video. Based on this clue, a customized Google search was conducted, which led to the original news report.
The investigation revealed that the viral video was taken from an episode of journalist Palki Sharma’s show “Vantage with Palki Sharma”, which aired on 17 December.
Analysis of the video showed that the visuals appearing at the 33 minutes 30 seconds timestamp in the original report exactly match those used in the viral clip. However, in the original broadcast, Palki Sharma neither questioned Jordan’s protocol nor made any comment about King Abdullah II not being present at the airport.
In the original video, Palki Sharma says:
“Prime Minister Modi was on a diplomatic tour of Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman, and in Jordan he was received at the airport by the country’s Prime Minister…” The link to the original report can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VYZYe9l6Bs
AI Audio Examination
Further investigation involved separating the audio from the viral video and analyzing it using the AI voice detection tool ‘Resemble AI’. The tool’s results confirmed that fake, AI-generated audio had been added over the real footage in the viral clip to spread a misleading claim. A screenshot of the results from this examination can be seen below.
Conclusion
The video being circulated in the name of journalist Palki Sharma has been tampered with. Her voice has been altered using AI technology, and the claim made regarding the Jordan visit is completely misleading.
Executive Summary
A post is being widely circulated on social media claiming that paper currency will be discontinued in the country from June 30 and replaced with new plastic notes. The claim is being shared along with an audio clip purportedly featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning people that paper notes will no longer be valid after June 30 and that new plastic currency will be introduced in the market.CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be false. The viral post about discontinuation of paper currency from June 30 is baseless, and the audio attributed to the Prime Minister has been generated using artificial intelligence.
Claim:
An X (formerly Twitter) user shared the viral post claiming that paper currency will be completely withdrawn from circulation in India from June 30 and replaced with plastic notes. The post includes an audio clip allegedly featuring PM Modi.
Post link and archive link can be seen below:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2172216560209848
Factcheck
To verify the claim, we conducted a keyword search online. During the research, we found a report published by NDTV on June 6, which stated that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is currently examining a proposal related to polymer-based (plastic) currency notes. The report clarified that the proposal is at a very preliminary stage and no final decision has been made. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that the central bank is evaluating the pros and cons of polymer notes and will inform the public once any decision is taken. The report does not mention any discontinuation of existing paper currency.
We also checked official sources, including the Prime Minister’s social media handles and the Reserve Bank of India website, but found no announcement or notification regarding the discontinuation of paper currency from June 30.
Since the claim included an audio clip attributed to PM Modi, we analyzed it using AI voice detection tools. The Undetectable AI tool identified the voice with 99% probability as AI-generated.
Conclusion:
The research clearly shows that the claim about discontinuation of paper currency from June 30 is baseless. The audio attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also AI-generated and does not represent any official statement.
