#FactCheck: Video of Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri Falsely Shared as Anti-Reservation Protest at Jantar Mantar

Introduction

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) changed course just 48 hours after the directive dated December 1, 2025,  sparked controversy. On December 3, 2025, the department publicly reversed its directive to smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app starting in March of the following year. The withdrawal marked the ending of a tumultuous, quick-paced event that highlighted how dynamic digital policy can be in a democracy. 

‍

The DoT explained its move in calculated terms. The government said that the first mandate was no longer necessary due to an abrupt increase in voluntary app downloads brought on by the public furore. The agency stated , “The mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate the process because the number of users has been growing rapidly.”

‍

The app in question is not new. When it was first introduced in 2023, it was intended to be a public safety where people could report suspicious calls, identify numbers registered in their name, block stolen devices using their IMEI, confirm the authenticity of their handset, and report fraudulent international calls that were disguised as Indian numbers. The platform has quietly expanded over the past two years with features like utilities to check mobile connections, as well as Chakshu for reporting fraud. When used freely, it has helped numerous people in navigating the increasingly complex web of online scams. 

‍

Balancing Protection and Personal Freedom

In India, there isn’t much precedent for requiring all phones to have a certain government backed app installed. While operators supported TRAI’s DND app in 2018 and emergency numbers were integrated during the pandemic, they did not go into the territory of compulsory pre-installation.

‍

Legal experts have time and again pointed out that although the government can control telecommunications for security reasons, any mandatory action pertaining to personal devices may be subject to constitutional review under the right to privacy, as stated in the Puttaswamy ruling. Not because the app is flawed in and of itself, but rather because every transition from voluntary adoption to mandatory compliance necessitates a higher standard of necessity, proportionality, and protections.  

‍

The Pulse of the Policy

The DoT’s stated rationale was clear: fake, duplicated or spoofed IMEIs represent a major cyber-security threat. India currently faces some of the world’s highest levels of SIM misuse, digital impersonation, online extortion, and device cloning crimes. Even a small fraction of compromised devices can do great harm in a nation with over a billion active mobile users.

‍

The DoT’s AI and Digital Intelligence Unit, a small seven-person team in charge of SIM security, fighting illicit telecom setups, and collaborating with financial regulators on quickly changing fraud patterns, issued the Sanchar Saathi directive as part of a larger set of security-focused measures. One order required platforms such as WhatsApp to make sure that web sessions were terminated after six hours and that accounts only functioned when the registered SIM card was present in the device.

‍

When taken as a whole, these orders indicate a clear strategic goal, the government is working to close systemic gaps that organised crime, particularly identity theft and device-level fraud, exploits. However, they also highlight the complex relationship between public opinion and security requirements. The government’s quick reversal in the Sanchar Saathi case demonstrated a crucial realization: digital safety mechanisms can only be effective when people feel educated, valued, and in charge. 

‍

CyberPeace Perspective & The Middle Path

CyberPeace stated that whenever a digital tool comes into contact with identity, data, or mobile access, public concern is inevitable. However, it is also emphasised that Sanchar Saathi is not a surveillance tool, instead can empower citizens. 

Even with the rolled back mandate, it is reaffirmed that cornerstones of digital trust are accountability, openness, audits, and unambiguous permissions. India can maintain both safety and rights through responsible implementation, ethical design, and open communication. 

‍

References

1. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/what-is-the-sanchar-saathi-app-why-is-the-government-mandating-its-pre-installation/article70350322.ece
2. https://theprint.in/opinion/sharp-edge/sanchar-saathi-app-modi-govt/2797917/ 
3. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2198110&reg=3&lang=2 
4. https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/SancharSaathiDocuments/ImportantDocuments/DoT%20issues%20directions%20for%20pre-installation%20of%20Sanchar%20Saathi%20App%20in%20mobile%20handsets%20to%20verify%20the%20genuineness%20of%20mobile%20handsets.pdf 
5. https://cyberpeace.org/resources/blogs/sanchar-saathi-portal-a-solution-for-mobile-phone-theft-and-data-protection
6. https://cyberpeace.org/resources/blogs/chakshu-and-dip-shielding-citizens-from-online-frauds
7. https://cyberpeace.org/resources/blogs/financial-risk-indicator-launched-by-dot-to-strengthen-cybersecurity

‍

Executive Summary
‍

Amid renewed military tensions between Iran and Israel in West Asia, a video is widely circulating on social media showing a multi-storey building being struck, followed by a massive explosion and fire. Several users are sharing this clip with the claim that it shows a recent Iranian attack on Tel Aviv, Israel. However, CyberPeace Research Wing research found that the claim is misleading. The viral video has no connection to the current Iran–Israel conflict. It is actually from a Russian drone strike in Ukraine that took place in September 2025, and is now being falsely linked to the ongoing tensions in West Asia.

‍

Claim

‍

An Instagram user shared the viral video with the caption:“Iran–Israel tensions at peak, reports of retaliatory action towards Tel Aviv… New wave of Iranian response towards Tel Aviv amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel. The situation in the region continues to intensify as both sides accuse each other, while the international community closely monitors developments. The Middle East situation is rapidly evolving and updates are emerging. It is important to rely only on official information and credible sources.”

https://www.instagram.com/shan_of_voice/reel/DZWRp8vqiM8 

https://archive.ph/s26qV

‍

‍

‍

‍

Fact Check

‍

To verify the authenticity of the video, we extracted keyframes and conducted a Google Lens reverse image search. The same footage was found in a report published by The Guardian on 16 September 2025.

According to the report, the video shows a Russian drone strike on a building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, in which three men and one woman were injured.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2025/sep/16/moment-russian-drone-hits-educational-building-kharkiv-ukraine-video 

‍

‍

Further verification through keyword search led us to the same footage on the official YouTube channel of Associated Press, published on 17 September 2025.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAke3aAhPxs

‍

‍

The Associated Press also confirmed that the video shows a Russian drone strike on a building in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

‍

Conclusion

‍

Our research found that the viral video has no connection to the ongoing Iran–Israel tensions or any attack on Tel Aviv. The footage is from a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine (September 2025), and is being misleadingly shared in the context of the West Asia conflict.

‍

The Delhi High Court vide order dated 21st November 2024 directed the Centre to nominate members for a committee constituted to examine the issue of deepfakes. The court was informed by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) that a committee had been formed on 20 November 2024 on deepfake matters. The Delhi High Court passed an order while hearing two writ petitions against the non-regulation of deepfake technology in the country and the threat of its potential misuse. The Centre submitted that it was actively taking measures to address and mitigate the issues related to deepfake technology. The court directed the central government to nominate the members within a week. 

The court further stated that the committee shall examine and take into consideration the suggestions filed by the petitioners and consider the regulations as well as statutory frameworks in foreign countries like the European Union. The court has directed the committee to invite the experiences and suggestions of stakeholders such as intermediary platforms, telecom service providers, victims of deepfakes, and websites which provide and deploy deepfakes. The counsel for the petitioners stated that delay in the creation, detection and removal of deepfakes is causing immense hardship to the public at large. Further, the court has directed the said committee to submit its report, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three months. The matter is further listed on 24th March 2025.

CyberPeace Outlook 

Through the issue of misuse of deepfakes by bad actors, it has become increasingly difficult for users to differentiate between genuine and altered content created by deepfakes. This increasing misuse has led to a rise in cyber crimes and poses dangers to users' privacy. Bad actors use any number of random pictures or images collected from the internet to create such non-consensual deepfake content. Such deepfake videos further pose risks of misinformation and fake news campaigns with the potential to sway elections, cause confusion and mistrust in authorities, and more.

The conceivable legislation governing the deepfake is the need of the hour. It is important to foster regulated, ethical and responsible consumption of technology. The comprehensive legislation governing the issue can help ensure technology can be used in a better manner.  The dedicated deepfake regulation and deploying ethical practices through a coordinated approach by concerned stakeholders can effectively manage the problems presented by the misuse of deepfake technology. Legal frameworks in this regard need to be equipped to handle the challenges posed by deepfake and AI. Accountability in AI is also a complex issue that requires comprehensive legal reforms. The government should draft policies and regulations that balance innovation and regulation. Through a multifaceted approach and comprehensive regulatory landscape, we can mitigate the risks posed by deepfakes and safeguard privacy, trust, and security in the digital age.

References

• https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/3168452-delhi-high-court-calls-for-action-on-deepfake-regulation
• https://images.assettype.com/barandbench/2024-11-23/w63zribm/Chaitanya_Rohilla_vs_Union_of_India.pdf

‍