‘Sting Video’ Sparks Political Turmoil Amid Sandeshkhali Incident Probe

A ‘sting video’ surfacing in the aftermath of the Sandeshkhali incident has intensified political tensions in West Bengal, pitting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a heated exchange of accusations and counterclaims.

The controversy erupted when the TMC alleged that a ‘sting video’ had exposed the BJP’s reported strategy to tarnish their image regarding the Sandeshkhali incident. In response, Gangadhar Kayl, a prominent BJP leader who allegedly featured in the video, immdiately took action against the sting. He lodged a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging manipulation through Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

Mr. Kayl claimed that his facial features and voice were digitally manipulated using AI technology to create the video, aimed at misleading the public and disrupting ongoing investigations into the Sandeshkhali incident.

“I have come across a video… where it can be seen that the same has been made using my face and the voice has been modulated using Artificial Intelligence,” Mr. Kayl stated in his complaint, emphasizing the intention to deceive the public.

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Accusing Trinamool’s Abhishek Banerjee of orchestrating the conspiracy, Mr. Kayl highlighted discrepancies in the video, including obscured facial features and poor audio quality, suggesting deliberate tampering to distort the narrative.

Furthermore, Mr. Kayl urged the CBI to conduct a thorough investigation into the video footage, underscoring the gravity of the allegations and their implications on the ongoing probe into the Sandeshkhali incident.

The Sandeshkhali incident, where women accused TMC leader Shahjahan and his associates of rape and sexual harassment, had sparked widespread protests and drawn national attention ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had criticized the Trinamool Congress, accusing them of shielding the accused leader, who was eventually apprehended in February after evading authorities for over 50 days.

Amidst the unfolding political drama, the emergence of the ‘sting video’ adds another layer of complexity to the Sandeshkhali incident probe, intensifying the already heightened political tensions in West Bengal.