A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly uploading an AI-generated video that falsely depicted an explosion at Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the Karnataka legislature. Deccan Herald reported that no actual blast occurred and that the footage was synthetic.
The accused, Hazarat Ali, is a native of Koshkipur in Bihar’s Araria district. His name has also been reported as Hazarat, Hazrat, or simply Ali. He worked as a daily-wage pipe fitter in Bengaluru and had been living in the city for a few months.
What the video showed
On Tuesday morning, the Instagram account “jnx__king__h_g” posted a video that began with real footage of the area in front of Vidhana Soudha before showing fabricated AI visuals of a massive explosion at the building. One report stated that the caption claimed the building had been blown up with a bomb.
— ChristinMathewPhilip (@ChristinMP_) October 21, 2026Bengaluru Police arrested a 25-year-old Bihar native for allegedly creating & posting an AI-generated video depicting a bomb blast at Vidhana Soudha on Instagram.
The video, posted on Tuesday, showed an explosion at the state legislature building. Police registered an FIR &… pic.twitter.com/4YeCbzUSnI
How police acted
- Detection: Vidhana Soudha police registered an FIR on Tuesday after a social media monitoring officer came across the video. Another agency report stated that the clip sparked public anger, with users tagging Bengaluru Police and demanding action. The account has since been deactivated.
- Charges: Police Inspector S.P. Kumar Swamy of Vidhana Soudha police station registered the case under Sections 353(1)(b) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Section 353 deals with statements that cause public mischief.
- Tracing the accused: Investigators analysed IP logs and other digital traces linked to the Instagram account, which led them to Ali’s residence in Bengaluru.
- Arrest: Police reported Ali’s arrest on Wednesday, October 21, a day after the video appeared.
Police are questioning Ali to determine his motive and whether others were involved in creating or circulating the video. They have also warned against misusing AI to create threatening content. Authorities have not disclosed Ali’s motive, whether he has a prior criminal record, or his custody status.
Past false alarms at Vidhana Soudha: This is not the first false alarm involving Vidhana Soudha. In October 2022, a 41-year-old software professional called the chief secretary’s office and claimed that a bomb had been planted in the building. Although police suspected a hoax, they investigated the claim and traced the caller within hours. A police officer said the call was taken seriously because it had been made to the chief secretary’s office.
A pattern of AI-fabricated content in India
Police and fact-checkers have been dealing with AI-generated clips falsely linked to real events for some time.
- Delhi blast, November 2025: After the car explosion near the Red Fort, an AI-generated video of a man claiming to film the aftermath was shared as genuine footage. BOOM found that the video had been posted by an account that describes itself as an AI video creator.
- Ujjain, 2026: Police examined AI-generated visuals that falsely showed an entire mosque being demolished after clashes over the partial removal of the structure for road widening. Police said the material helped mobilise the crowd. Eight FIRs name 20 people, including five content creators.
- Political deepfakes: In July–August 2026, Maharashtra Cyber Police registered an FIR over a fake AI-generated clip showing a Delhi Police officer resigning. The clip was posted from a Congress leader’s X account. The leader said he was unaware that the video was AI-generated and deleted it.
Also read:
- Explained: How India’s medical regulator is bringing AI-generated ads by doctors and hospitals under new rules
- MeitY tightens AI label rules, mandates continuous disclosure
For You
- Read Reasoned by Nikhil Pahwa: How AI is changing our world
- Sign up for MediaNama's Daily Newsletter to receive regular updates
- Sponsor a MediaNama Event
Post navigation
ixigo plans to build its own AI travel agent while partnering with third-party agents to handle bookings. The company believes its expertise in India’s complex travel market gives it an advantage.