B-Tech Graduate Arrested for Circulating Deepfake Video of Rashmika Mandanna to Boost Followers
In a recent development, the Delhi Police have apprehended a 23-year-old B-Tech graduate from Andhra Pradesh for circulating a deepfake video featuring popular actor Rashmika Mandanna. The accused, identified as Eemani Naveen, had created the video with the intention of increasing the number of followers on his Rashmika Mandanna fan page on Instagram.
The incident came to light when the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) filed a complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR under sections 465 and 469 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as sections 66C and 66E of the Information Technology Act. The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell took up the case and sought assistance from Meta, the parent company of Instagram, to identify the individual behind the deepfake video.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), IFSO, Dr. Hemant Tiwari, stated that Naveen used artificial intelligence techniques and YouTube to create the deepfake video, which was posted on October 13. As a result, the fan following on his Instagram page surged from 90,000 to 108,000 within just two weeks.
However, as the video gained national attention and garnered negative responses from famous film stars, Naveen panicked and deleted the posts from his Instagram channel. He even changed the name of his channel in an attempt to hide his online activities. Furthermore, he deleted all relevant digital data from his devices to remove any evidence of his involvement.
During the preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the original video was uploaded by a British Indian girl on her Instagram account on October 9, 2023. Subsequently, Naveen created a deepfake version featuring Rashmika Mandanna and circulated it on various social media platforms. The police analyzed more than 500 social media accounts linked to the distribution of the deepfake videos before finally tracing Naveen’s Instagram account.
A team of officers was sent to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, where Naveen resided, and he was apprehended at his residence. During interrogation, Naveen revealed his admiration for Rashmika Mandanna and confessed to managing fan pages of her and two other film actors. While the fan pages dedicated to the other two actors had a substantial number of followers, Mandanna’s page had fewer than one lakh.
Naveen, who had pursued B-Tech and acquired certification in Digital Marketing from Google Garage, was highly interested in digital media. He had completed additional courses in website development, Photoshop, and video editing from platforms like YouTube. In 2023, he returned to his village and started offering services in Photoshop, Instagram channel promotion, YouTube video creation, editing, and search engine optimization.
During the arrest, the police seized a laptop and three mobile phones from Naveen. He will face charges under forgery and defamation provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.
This incident highlights the growing concern over the spread of deepfake videos and their potential impact on individuals’ reputations. It serves as a reminder for social media users to be cautious when consuming and sharing content, as well as for authorities to establish robust mechanisms to tackle such cybercrimes.
