Mumbai: State minister Girish Mahajan of the BJP has lodged a complaint with the Maharashtra cyber police against multiple X and Instagram account holders for allegedly circulating AI-generated morphed photographs of him and the daughter of a family friend. Mahajan has alleged that the posts, allegedly created using photo-editing tools, were intended to spread false information and tarnish his image. Police have registered an offence and are tracking the X and Instagram account holders. “I will clarify this issue soon. I have already registered a complaint in Mumbai. The photos are morphed. I have seen the original selfie pictures, but these have been altered. People seen in the background have been cropped out to make it appear as though only two individuals are in the frame. I have requested a detailed probe, and the truth will come out,” Mahajan said while speaking to the media.The complaint was filed by Amol Sharad Patil (48), special officer for water resources, Tapi, Vidarbha and Konkan Basin Development Corporation, and Disaster Management attached to minister Mahajan. Patil alleged that on June 19, while he was at his office, a colleague noticed photographs of Mahajan and a family friend’s daughter circulating on social media platforms. Police have registered a case after finding that the information disclosed the commission of cognizable offences under relevant provisions of law.Police officials probing the case said they have blocked many of the photos on social media, and the trail has led them to proxy servers in the US.According to the complaint, upon verification, the photographs were found on multiple accounts on X and Instagram. Patil alleged that the images appeared to have been morphed, cropped and manipulated using photo-editing tools such as Photoshop and were shared without the consent of the minister.The complaint names several social media accounts, including X handles @gajabhauX and @PriaINC, along with Instagram accounts the_lokarth, youngmaharashtra, and puneriawazz, for allegedly posting and circulating the images.Patil stated that the posts were intended to spread false information and damage the reputation of Mahajan, who holds a constitutional position in the state government. He further alleged that the circulation of such content could create hatred and contempt against the minister and potentially disturb public peace.The complainant has sought legal action against the account holders for allegedly making the posts viral and disseminating misleading information.Further investigation is underway to determine the origin of the images and the extent of their circulation across social media platforms.
