Bengaluru cybercrime police have launched a suo motu investigation after discovering a series of AI-generated deepfake videos showing prominent public figures — including cricketer Virat Kohli, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, industrialist Anant Ambani, and actor Hrithik Roshan — allegedly promoting fraudulent stock trading platforms.
The cyber police filed a case under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating and spreading deceptive content online.
According to police sources, the deepfake videos were designed to look highly authentic, showing celebrities encouraging viewers to download certain investment apps, register, and invest money — promising returns ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh. Some videos even suggested investing in online games to “earn huge profits.”
Sub-inspector, who first came across these videos between November 1 and 3, noticed similar clips of other well-known personalities, including journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, philanthropist Sudha Murty, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy, and several others. Finding them suspicious, she escalated the matter to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s office.
Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed that the videos were indeed AI-generated deepfakes — digitally altered to mimic the speech, tone, and gestures of real individuals.
A senior police officer stated that cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence to fabricate such content and exploit public trust in celebrities to lure investors into scams.
The officer added, “These kinds of deepfake operations pose a serious threat to digital integrity. People tend to believe faces they recognize, and that’s exactly what scammers are capitalizing on.”
This case adds to a growing list of AI-driven fraud incidents reported across India, raising urgent questions about the regulation of deepfake content, digital authentication systems, and public awareness about AI misuse.
The Bengaluru Cybercrime Unit has warned the public not to trust investment schemes circulated via social media, especially when they appear to feature well-known figures. Authorities have urged users to verify the authenticity of such claims before investing or sharing financial information online.
