Social media users have circulated two images, falsely claiming they show the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posing with travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, who was recently arrested on allegations of spying for Pakistan.
These images have sparked widespread speculation and misinformation online.
However, a closer examination reveals that digital manipulation has altered the images.
The creators digitally morphed Jyoti Malhotra’s face onto the woman standing next to Rahul Gandhi, falsely portraying that he was photographed with the vlogger.
The first photo, widely shared with misleading captions, actually features Rahul Gandhi with Aditi Singh, the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Rae Bareli and a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Aditi Singh originally won the Uttar Pradesh assembly election in 2017 on a Congress ticket.
She is the daughter of veteran Congress leader Akhilesh Singh, a five-time MLA from the same seat.
However, in 2021, she switched allegiance to the BJP, making her association with Rahul Gandhi less politically aligned.
The second image, digitally manipulated to include Jyoti Malhotra’s face, actually comes from Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala.
Rahul Gandhi himself shared the original photograph on his official Facebook account, showing him with women supporters he met in Alappuzha, Kerala.
The caption clearly stated it depicted Gandhi with his supporters during the yatra.
The use of face-morphing technology to distort images and mislead viewers is a growing concern in the age of social media, where altered content can quickly go viral and shape public opinion unfairly.
The circulation of such manipulated images can have serious implications for political discourse and public trust.
It highlights the importance of verifying sources and questioning viral content, especially when it involves sensitive political figures and allegations related to national security.
Such incidents also underscore the growing threat of deepfakes and the urgent need for stronger digital literacy and accountability on social media platforms.
Credible media reports and Rahul Gandhi’s own social media posts confirm the truth.
These findings emphasise the need for vigilance against digital misinformation.
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