Kerala Cyber Police have registered a case after a fake, manipulated video and a morphed image of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar surfaced online ahead of the upcoming local body elections. The circulation of the doctored material has triggered heightened concern within the Election Department as authorities suspect an attempt to influence the electoral process.
According to officials, the visuals—shared widely on social media platforms—were crafted to mislead the public and create confusion during a sensitive pre-election period. The material allegedly portrays the Chief Election Commissioner in a distorted manner, raising the possibility of a coordinated effort to undermine public confidence in the state’s electoral machinery.
Cyber police have intensified patrolling across digital platforms to identify the origin of the video and image. Investigators are analysing the upload history, propagation route, and associated accounts to determine whether the content was generated by individuals acting alone or as part of an organised operation.
An officer involved in the probe said that the investigation would focus on the technology used to manipulate the visuals, the timing of their release, and the motive behind the circulation. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code dealing with forgery, impersonation, and attempts to mislead the public.
Authorities noted that the incident highlights the increasing threat of digital misinformation, particularly through deepfakes and morphed visuals, which can significantly influence public perception during election periods. The Election Department is expected to intensify awareness campaigns urging voters to verify content and avoid sharing unconfirmed information.
Officials emphasised that strict action will be taken against those found responsible for creating or disseminating the manipulated media. The investigation is ongoing, with cyber teams deploying advanced tracking tools to trace the source and map the spread of the content.
With local body elections approaching, the incident has underscored the need for heightened vigilance against digital manipulation and the importance of safeguarding electoral integrity in an era of rapidly evolving misinformation tactics.
