Former Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who until recently was also an Union Minister, filed a police complaint on Sunday over a "concocted and fabricated" video clipping apparently featuring him. In the complaint to the Cyber Crime Offences and Narcotics police station, North Division in Bengaluru, his counsel said, "I have reliably learnt that politically motivated fake, fabricated, concocted video has been made by making use of the photo of MP DV Sadananda Gowda."
Sadananda Gowda took to Twitter to say that a morphed ("deep fake") video of him has been making rounds on social media and he would like to inform that it was not him in the video which was "created to malign his impeccable image by his adversaries with a vested interest." A complaint has also been filed with Bengaluru's Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, North, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police, RT Nagar.
The complaint by the former Union Minister says that the video is being circulated on social media and Facebook and has asked the police to ensure that it is taken down. "The said creation of the video is only to tarnish his image. The same is politically motivated. The said video came to be created by way of impersonation. It is uploaded on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media. In the view of the matter, I request you to take suitable action to block off the circulation of the said video and also to take suitable action against the wrongdoers strictly in accordance with law and protect his image," the complaint further read.
The MLA added said, “Malefactors, who are upset by my rise on the political front, have brought out a fake, lewd video of mine for my fall. The video has become viral on social media, which pains me". He had obtained an injunction order from the court against publishing and circulating the video, and also appealed to people to bring it to his notice if anyone is indulging in circulating the video. "A complaint has been filed with concerned authorities, to arrest and punish the guilty parties immediately," he said.
Incidentally this incident comes six months after six Karnataka ministers had approached a Bengaluru court to stop publishing and circulation of some 'fake' videos that they said featured them. Former Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi had resigned after such an alleged video featuring him had surfaced. In addition, the woman purportedly seen in the video had also approached the police with a complaint, stating that she was promised a job for allegedly performing sexual favours.