Jalandhar court rules Atishi video was edited, orders removal from social media platforms
PTC Web Desk: In a significant ruling linked to a viral video controversy involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena, a Jalandhar court on Thursday held that the video circulating on social media was tampered with and misleading.
The court relied on a forensic examination report which confirmed that the viral clip had been edited. Following this finding, the court directed all social media platforms to immediately remove the video and delete all related links from accounts that had uploaded or shared it.
AAP seeks action against Kapil Mishra
Reacting to the court’s order, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded the immediate removal of BJP leader and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra. Bharadwaj stated that the forensic report had clearly established that the word “guru” was never used by Atishi in the original speech and that the viral video was fabricated to misrepresent her remarks.
According to AAP leaders, Kapil Mishra was the first to upload the video with added subtitles, alleging that Atishi had used objectionable language against Sikh Gurus during a discussion in the Delhi Assembly. The Punjab Police later sent the clip for forensic analysis to a Mohali-based laboratory, which concluded that the video had been edited.
Mystery around FIR complainant
The FIR in the case was registered in Jalandhar based on a complaint filed by Iqbal Singh Bagga, a resident of the Mitthu Basti area. However, Bagga has not appeared publicly since the controversy erupted.
When a media team visited Mitthu Basti to locate him, no house matching the address mentioned in the FIR could be found. On contacting Bagga over the phone, he claimed he was travelling back to Jalandhar from Chandigarh and said his role was limited to requesting a forensic probe of the video.
Bagga asserted that his name was unnecessarily dragged into the controversy after the issue escalated. He denied any political motive, stating that he merely sought verification of the video’s authenticity.
Speaking further, Bagga said he was neither absconding nor acting under political pressure. He claimed that similar complaints filed by him in the past had also led to FIRs. According to him, he never intended to initiate legal action against anyone but only wanted the video examined.
BJP steps up attack, ‘missing’ posters of Atishi appear
Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP escalated its criticism by putting up posters portraying Atishi as “missing” in connection with the controversy. BJP leader Kapil Mishra released a video questioning her absence from the Delhi Assembly and demanded that she return and clarify her position.
Mishra stated that assembly members were awaiting her response and warned that evading questions would not help her escape legal scrutiny.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar also commented on the case, questioning the speed at which the forensic investigation was completed. He said several similar cases during the AAP government had remained pending for years, whereas the Atishi video was examined at the Mohali forensic lab within a single day.
Jakhar suggested that the urgency was linked to the need to register an FIR swiftly.
Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment, Pargat Singh, whose name also appears in the FIR, termed the case politically driven. He said that filing multiple FIRs would not change facts and added that he was ready to cooperate with the police whenever summoned.
Pargat Singh questioned why a Delhi Assembly video led to an FIR in Jalandhar and argued that if sharing the clip was a crime, then the case should logically apply to several others as well. He also alleged that the complainant was an AAP worker and that the FIR was filed deliberately.
According to the FIR, a video clip uploaded on social media platform X on January 7, 2026, allegedly showed Atishi making derogatory remarks against Sikh Gurus and the Sikh community. However, Atishi later shared the complete original video of her speech, which made it evident that the viral clip had been deliberately edited to alter the meaning of her statements.
The complainant demanded a thorough investigation and action against those who shared the edited video.
After forensic verification, the police registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. The investigation has been handed over to Parminder Singh, in-charge of Basti Bawa Khel.
- With inputs from agencies
