Patna: JD(U) chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar on Wednesday lodged a complaint at Shastri Nagar police station in Patna, seeking registration of an FIR against Jan Suraaj founder and Bankipur bypoll candidate Prashant Kishor for allegedly spreading misinformation and making derogatory remarks about former chief minister Nitish Kumar.The complaint comes days before voting for the Bankipur assembly bypoll on July 30.The controversy erupted after a video message issued by Nitish Kumar on Monday in support of BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha. In the video, the former chief minister appealed to voters to back the NDA candidate and highlighted the alliance govt’s achievements over the past two decades.Questioning the authenticity of the video, Kishor on Tuesday claimed that it was “AI-generated” and a “deepfake”. He alleged that the clip had been heavily edited and synthetically created using artificial intelligence tools, claiming Nitish Kumar was unwell and had not actually recorded the statement.Kishor also challenged the ruling alliance, saying that if Nitish Kumar repeated the same message before any journalist, Jan Suraaj would withdraw its candidacy from the bypoll.Neeraj Kumar said the JD(U) had approached the police over what it termed a deliberate attempt to mislead voters ahead of polling. “We have submitted a complaint against Prashant Kishor at Shastri Nagar police station ahead of the Bankipur by-election,” he said.He further alleged that branding an authentic video as AI-generated without evidence amounted to an attack on Nitish Kumar’s credibility and personal dignity. Neeraj challenged Kishor to present proof before investigating agencies to substantiate his claims.Bankipur, one of Patna’s most prominent assembly constituencies, is witnessing a keen contest in the bypoll. The seat fell vacant after BJP leader Nitin Nabin resigned as MLA following his election to the Rajya Sabha.Polling is scheduled for July 30, while counting of votes will take place on Aug 3.
