Ludhiana Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Chandigarh for questioning in a money-laundering probe linked to allegedly fabricated forensic reports concerning a controversial video of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Sharma was summoned under Sections 50(2) and 50(3) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and arrived at the ED zonal office around 11 am. The probe traces a financial trail connected to an alleged ₹10 lakh payment made to entities that investigators say were used to support claims that the video had been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence.
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ED Probe Stems From Gurugram Police FIR
The money-laundering investigation arises from an FIR registered by Gurugram Police on June 23 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to cheating, cheating by personation, forgery and forged electronic records, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.
The case was registered on a complaint by Jaspreet Singh, a Sirsa-based forensic expert. Singh alleged that Punjab officials pressured, threatened and coerced him at the Ludhiana cyber police station to obtain favourable forensic findings.
Investigators have alleged that ₹10 lakh was routed through bank accounts within Gurugram’s commercial banking jurisdiction in connection with the preparation of the disputed reports.
Gurugram Police later arrested Arun Mohindru and Ankit in the case. Investigators also found that Sentinel Lab and Cyberian Labs, the entities cited to validate the video, lacked government recognition, certified accreditation and physical office addresses.
The FIR refers to a senior police official under the alias “Bade Sahib”, whom investigators suspect may be linked to the Ludhiana police leadership.
Sharma’s Gurugram Visit Also Under Scrutiny
Opposition parties had earlier circulated videos showing Sharma dining with colleagues at a hotel in Gurugram and alleged that the visit coincided with the period when the disputed forensic reports were commissioned.
Sharma has maintained that his visit was connected to an investigation into a cyber fraud case based in Ludhiana.
The allegations concerning the forensic reports, the movement of funds and the role of individual officials remain under investigation. Sharma’s appearance before the ED is part of the agency’s inquiry and does not by itself establish wrongdoing.
Conflicting Forensic Claims Deepen Video Controversy
The Aam Aadmi Party and Bhagwant Mann have repeatedly maintained that the disputed video was fabricated using artificial intelligence. They have cited private forensic reports that allegedly identified technical manipulation, frame inconsistencies, visual layering and graphic overlays.
AAP Punjab president Aman Arora defended the use of private laboratories, saying the objective was to obtain an impartial assessment outside Punjab.
The video also triggered a religious controversy. On June 15, Akal Takht directed members of the Sikh community to ostracise Mann, declaring him Guru Dokhi and Khalsa Panth Virodhi.
The action followed a January 4 complaint alleging that the clip showed Mann making objectionable remarks about the Guru ki Golak and displaying disrespect toward images of Sikh Gurus and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said the secretariat had the video independently examined by two government-recognised laboratories. According to him, both laboratories concluded that there was no evidence of frame tampering or AI generation.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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