On October 4, 2026, the Assam Chief Minister’s Office posted a 12‑second clip purporting to show the real interaction between Himanta Biswa Sarma and an unidentified woman—an effort to counter a viral image that the office claims was fabricated. The clip, released as a rebuttal, demonstrates that the figure in the photo was digitally altered using AI, proving the image to be a fabrication.
The doctored portrait, circulating across Facebook and Twitter, showed Sarma in a staged pose beside a woman—a scenario never documented in any official record. Experts say AI can superimpose faces to create convincing but false composites. The photo was shared over 1,200 times in a week, sparking rumors of a scandal.
Assam police have registered a criminal case under sections 269 and 270 of the Indian Penal Code, citing the spread of false information. The investigators have identified three individuals who allegedly produced and disseminated the image. The case is now in the ‘criminal action’ phase, with prosecutors preparing charges.
In a statement, the Chief Minister’s Office urged citizens to verify sources before reposting. It warned that anyone found creating or sharing fabricated material could face legal proceedings. The office has made the original footage publicly available to counter misinformation.