Bhagwant Mann Viral Video: New Forensic Report Contradicts Akal Takht, Says It’s ‘Not’ Punjab CM

Days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was declared "anti-Guru" by the Akal Takht - the highest temporal seat of Sikhs - over an alleged video, there is a new twist.

While the Akal Takht cited two central forensic reports to state that a video showing a person resembling Mann sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh gurus was not fake, a new forensic report released by the state government has now contradicted those findings.

The latest report, released by the Punjab government on Thursday, states that the person in the controversial video "is not Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann."

The Chief Minister has consistently denied the accusation and said the video was AI-generated.

Bhagwant Mann's Alleged Viral Video

A traitor to the Sikh community, who does not respect the highest seat of Sikhism, Sri Akal Takht Sahib, and continued to falsely claim that the video was AI-generated (fake).

Today, the revelations made by Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and the reports from two major… pic.twitter.com/WRoVyXH7OT

— Fatehjung Singh Bajwa (@fatehbajwa2) June 15, 2026

The Akal Takht, however, claimed it had the video examined by two laboratories recognised by the Government of India, which concluded that the video is neither fake nor AI-generated. Bhagwant Mann Viral Video News: This Is Not the First Time Punjab CM Caught in ‘Leaked Clip’ Row.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) contested the claim, saying the tests had not established whether the person in the video was indeed Mann.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu said the party had commissioned a scientific examination of the video by two laboratories located outside Punjab and recognised by the Government of India. They shared the report based on the two forensic examinations of the video.

What The New Report Says

Now, the new forensic report concurs with Mann's assertion that the person in the video is not him.

The report states that 1,191 frames of the 39-second video were technically analysed, and clear differences were found in the face, height, and body structure of the person in the video and the Chief Minister. Bhagwant Mann Viral Video: Punjab CM Terms Footage Unauthentic; Says Religion Being Exploited.

"...the individual in the video exhibits a particular type of stance, whereas reference photographs and videos of Bhagwant Mann depict a completely different stance and posture. There is absolutely no match or commonality between the stances of the individual in the video and those of Bhagwant Mann," the report states.

The report further points out the height difference between the person in the video and the Chief Minister.

"The height of the person seen in the video was estimated at around 5 feet 10 inches, whereas Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's height is 5 feet 8 inches."

The report also notes that the side and back profiles of the individual in the video do not match the Chief Minister's. Major differences were also found in body build, shoulders, and posture.

"Taken together - the facial mismatch, height mismatch, and side/back view comparison - the person in the video is not Bhagwant Mann," the report concludes.

Bhagwant Mann Says Conspiracy

Armed with the forensic report, Bhagwant Mann said the entire controversy was a "planned conspiracy" to defame him. He added that the Punjab DGP has been directed to identify the people behind the "video" and the "conspiracy" and take action against them. The chief minister said that the "conspirators" will not be able to hide and will be brought to face the law.

Akal Takht Verdict On Mann

In a strong verdict on Monday, Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj declared Mann guilty of "lying at the Akal Takht." "Sikhs have no expectations from the Chief Minister, and the 'panth' and followers of the Guru should have nothing to do with him," he added.

Reacting to the verdict, Bhagwant Mann maintained that the person in the viral video that sparked the controversy was not him, calling it a "false propaganda campaign" aimed at defaming him.

Expressing strong disapproval, Mann accused certain influential figures within religious institutions of spreading misinformation to tarnish his image. He claimed the controversy is politically motivated and linked to his government's decisions to protect Punjab's water resources, agriculture, farmers, and youth.

Political rivals, including the Congress, Akali Dal, and the BJP, united against Mann after the Akal Takht decision and demanded his resignation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2026 09:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).