Girish Mahajan Viral Photo: Maharashtra Minister Says Morphed Pics Being Circulated; Files Complaint
Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan filed a cyber complaint after morphed, AI-generated photos of him were circulated on Facebook. The Jalgaon Cyber Police registered a case under the IT Act and are tracing the IP addresses involved. Mahajan labelled the deepfakes a smear campaign and warned the public against sharing the fake media.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Girish Mahajan has filed an official police complaint after objectionable, deepfake images of him allegedly generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology began circulating widely across social media platforms. In response to the defamatory content, the Jalgaon Cyber Police Station registered a formal case to trace the origin of the digital manipulation. The state minister forcefully dismissed the viral visuals as fabricated, categorising the online broadcast as a deliberate attempt at political character assassination.
Following preliminary verification, law enforcement authorities confirmed that a targeted investigation is underway to penalise the perpetrators under the Information Technology Act. Mumbai Woman Lashes Out at Minister Girish Mahajan Over Traffic Disruption Due To BJP Rally; Video Goes Viral.
Girish Mahajan Said Morphed Pics of Him Are Being Circulated
कांदा प्रश्न सोडवत असताना
पिस्तुल्या !! pic.twitter.com/qr3neHDOOP
— गजाभाऊ (@gajabhauX) June 18, 2026
Cyber Police Initiate Investigation into Facebook Source
According to reports from local authorities in Jalgaon, the controversy erupted when an identified Facebook profile began publishing and promoting highly inappropriate, altered pictures depicting the minister alongside a young woman. The suspicious nature of the media artefacts prompted a formal review by tech analysts, who confirmed the signatures of sophisticated digital morphing tools. The official data tracking and investigation details have been organised by the cybercrime cell:
| Investigative Detail | Case Status Summary |
| Filing Location | Cyber Police Station, Jalgaon District |
| Primary Platform Checked | Facebook Account Handles |
| Technology Identified | AI Morphing / Deepfake Synthesis |
| Lead Investigating Officer | Police Inspector Satish Gorde |
| Applicable Charges | Defamation, Morphing, and Cyber Defilement |
Police Inspector Satish Gorde stated that digital forensic units are tracing the IP addresses linked to the source profile. He said that they have registered a case based on the formal complaint regarding the distribution of morphed materials. Gorde also stated that strict legal action will be taken against those found producing, sharing, or forwarding malicious edits.
Girish Mahajan Issues Statement on Viral Photos
'ते' फोटो पूर्णपणे मॉर्फ केलेले | Girish Mahajan pic.twitter.com/RtpXOk6fz4
— Time Maharashtra (@TimeMaharashtra) June 19, 2026
Minister Warns Against Spreading Fake Media
In a public statement addressing the development, Minister Girish Mahajan urged citizens and media users to maintain a high degree of scepticism regarding unverified content on internet channels. He emphasised that the ease of access to AI generative tools is increasingly being weaponised to target public figures. Girish Mahajan said that morphed pictures of him are being circulated online. While speaking to the media, Mahajan said that he has lodged a complaint in Mumbai. The Maharashtra cabinet minister further stated that the pictures going viral on social media are morphed and has demanded a detailed investigation in connection with the incident. Mahajan also affirmed his confidence in the state's cyber security machinery to track down the digital footprint of the culprits and expose the political or personal motives driving the smear campaign. Mumbai’s ‘Viral Traffic Jam Woman’ Teena Choudhry Breaks Silence, Clarifies Bottle-Throwing Incident and Praises Girish Mahajan (Watch Video).
Institutional Background on Deepfake Defamation
The weaponisation of generative AI technology and deepfake tools has emerged as a significant regulatory hurdle for law enforcement agencies across Maharashtra. Senior police officials have continually reiterated that the creation and dissemination of morphed media targeting an individual's modesty or public character carries severe penal consequences under the law, including non-bailable warrants and prison terms under updated sections of the cyber security statutes. The Jalgaon administration has officially cautioned the public to delete any matching viral sequences from their private storage, warning that secondary forwarding of the illicit material could legally implicate general users in the ongoing criminal inquiry.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2026 06:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
