Mumbai, January 17: In a significant victory for cybercrime enforcement, the Maharashtra Cyber Police have successfully tracked down and apprehended the individuals behind the viral "Payal Gaming" deepfake video. The case, which began in late December 2025, targeted popular influencer Payal Dhare, using sophisticated AI to create a non-consensual explicit video. Following a technical investigation, authorities were able to de-anonymise the perpetrators by tracing digital footprints left during the video's initial distribution. The arrest follows an emotional public interview by Dhare, where she broke her silence to address the technical "mistakes" made by the accused that eventually led to their downfall.

Critical Oversight: The Technical Flaws That Led to the Exposure

In a widely viewed interview following the arrest, Payal Dhare highlighted several errors made by the creators of the deepfake. Despite the high quality of the AI tools used, the culprits failed to account for anatomical and environmental inconsistencies that served as the first red flags for fans and forensic experts. The Payal Gaming Comeback: From the 19-Minute MMS Video Hoax to Collaborating with MrBeast.

Dhare said that the accused left so many clues. She also pointed out that the AI had failed to replicate her specific physical features accurately, and the background lighting in the video did not match her known recording setup. These "mistakes" allowed her legal team and cyber experts to quickly certify the video as a deepfake, shifting the momentum toward a criminal investigation. In the video, Payal Dhare said that she has one mole on her face, but in the deepfake video, the accused showed her having two moles.

Payal Dhare Reveals How Viral Video Leak Culprits Were Caught

Digital Footprints of Accused and the Cyber Hunt by Officials

The Maharashtra State Cyber Department utilised advanced metadata analysis to trace the video back to its source. While the culprits used encrypted messaging apps and VPNs to mask their identity, they made a critical error by linking the initial promotional links to a domain registered with a traceable payment method.

By collaborating with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and monitoring social media "clickbait" patterns, investigators identified the specific IP addresses used for the upload. A senior Cyber official had said that the digital trail never truly disappears. The arrest was executed after the team synchronised the location of these IP addresses with physical surveillance in a multi-city operation.

Legal Action and the POCSO Invocation

Following the arrest, an FIR was registered under various sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Given the nature of the content and the age of the audience the influencer primarily engages with, authorities also explored the invocation of stringent sections related to digital impersonation and harassment.

The police have seized several high-end computers and storage devices from the accused, which reportedly contain the original AI models used to generate the video. The suspects are currently in judicial custody, and their devices have been sent for further forensic examination. Payal Gaming MMS Video is Fake! Maharashtra Cyber Police Confirms as Payal Dhare Takes Legal Action, Shares FIR Copy.

The Deepfake Menace in 2026

This case has reignited a national debate on the ethics of generative AI. Payal Dhare’s proactive approach - immediately seeking a forensic certificate from the police - is being cited as a blueprint for other creators. The Maharashtra Cyber Police recently issued an official certificate confirming the video was "tampered and modified," a move that significantly helped in de-escalating the viral spread of the misinformation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 17, 2026 04:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).