CB-CID files chargesheet against Rajasthan man for creating deepfake video of CM Vijay

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-CID (CB-CID) filed a chargesheet against a 28-year-old man from Rajasthan within 60 days of his arrest for creating AI-generated deepfake videos of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to cheat the public, police said on Thursday.

According to a press release, the CB-CID cybercrime wing filed the chargesheet electronically before the XI Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Saidapet, Chennai. The accused, identified as Siyapu Khan of Lachhmangarh in Alwar, Rajasthan, faces charges under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, 2000, for impersonation, forgery, and cheating.

The case was registered on September 1, after deepfake videos surfaced showing the chief minister soliciting financial assistance from citizens.

Following a technical probe, special investigation teams were sent to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Khan was apprehended on September 12, in a joint operation coordinated with the Rajasthan Police.

During the search operations, sleuths seized crucial digital evidence, including mobile phones and electronic devices. Investigators specifically recovered the SIM cards associated with the contact numbers displayed in the deepfake videos, and those linked to the UPI IDs used to route the extorted money.