Payal Dhare, a social media influencer popularly known as Payal Gaming, is not in the 19-minute viral video that has taken the country by storm over the past few weeks, a statement from the Maharashtra State Cyber Department said on Friday.
Maharashtra Cyber Police also said that the video, which is associated with the popular player, is deeply fake. The ministry has also initiated an inquiry into the matter based on a complaint lodged by Dhara.
The confirmation was given in a certificate issued by the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department. The certificate revealed that advanced technological tools were used to analyze the video, which was found to have been “edited and edited”. Police said analysis confirmed the video was a deepfake created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Payal herself took to social media to thank the police for clearing her name. She also asked netizens not to share the video and revealed that legal action had been taken against those who manipulated the video to implicate her.
In an Instagram post, Payal said, “After witnessing the seriousness, skill and determination with which this matter is being handled, I have full faith in the system and in Maharashtra Cyber. Justice will take the right course and further details will be handled through appropriate legal channels.”
The video in question: Everything you need to know
The video in question is an intimate video of two people that started circulating online last week. Several social media influencers, mostly women, were linked to the video. Once Payal Gaming’s name also surfaced, a number of her followers started questioning the authenticity of the video.
Despite police warning citizens against sharing the video, the video continued to circulate on a number of social media platforms.
On December 10, Wednesday, Haryana police official Amit Yadav took to social media to remind internet users that sharing obscene content can even land them behind bars.
Yadav also said that the video in question was created by artificial intelligence and revealed that one can use the website “siteengine.com” to check whether the video is genuine or deepfake.
In his warning message, Yadav also revealed that anyone who shares such a video can be booked under Sections 67 and 67A as well as Section 66 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. If proven, charges under these sections can be “a fine of ₹2 million or imprisonment up to three years,” he said.
