New Delhi: A photograph of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with a person identified as Goldy Brar is being circulated on social media platforms, with many users identifying Brar as Canada-based gangster Satinder Singh, alias Goldy Brar, who has claimed responsibility for the murder of singer-turned-politician Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, alias Sidhu Moosewala.
Moosewala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Mansa Sunday evening. Hours later, in a Facebook post Canada-based Brar had claimed responsibility for the killing. This post was shared by many social media users.
Canada based gangster Goldy Brar takes responsibility for murder of Punjabi singer @iSidhuMooseWala pic.twitter.com/Qn6pdDDH6i
— Mohit Behl (@mohitbehlTOI) May 29, 2022
In a now-deleted Twitter post, Congress National Media Coordinator Radhika Khera, had also shared the image and held the AAP-led government in Punjab responsible for Moosewala’s death.
Many others also questioned the Punjab government that had partially withdrawn Moosewala’s security cover, along with over 424 other VIPs in the state.
कुछ भी fishy नहीं है https://t.co/7zfFHNQza5 pic.twitter.com/LeROjAsHe7
— Kap (@kapil73vats) May 29, 2022
Goldy Brar to responsibility to kill Sidhu Moose wala pic.twitter.com/SyyBL8teSU
— Himanshu (@koun_himanshu) May 29, 2022
Goldy Brar is suspected to be the alleged killer of #sidhumoosewala
And look with whom he is standing
Punjab toh Gayo pic.twitter.com/Qq8TAyIShR
— Vikas Raina (????? ????)???? (@VikasInExile) May 29, 2022
Popular Punjabi singer and rapper Moosewala had contested the Punjab assembly polls held earlier this year on a Congress ticket, but lost to AAP’s Vijay Singla.
Fact check
The image circulated online is, however, of Mann with a Punjab resident by the name of Goldy Brar.
In a Facebook post Monday, the Punjab-based Brar, who hails from Jandwala village, clarified that he is not the Canada-based Satinder Singh alias Goldy Brar who has claimed responsibility for Moosewala’s death. The Punjab resident also said that his picture was “being misused” online.
“I am Goldy Brar, son of Rajinder Singh, resident of village Jandwala. My picture is being misused by social media in what happened today’s tragic incident of Sidhu Musewala’s murder. I will take legal action against those people,” he said in the post Monday.
Many social media users soon came out in support of the Punjab resident, calling him an “innocent man” and asked others to stop the spread of “fake news”.
Stop spreading fake news knucklehead.
He is not the same Goldy Brar…stop spoiling the life an innocent person. https://t.co/atUqVca2t5
— Derby ??? (@flawsome_deepi) May 29, 2022
I am Goldy Brar's son Rajinder Singh from village Jandwala. In today's tragic incident of murder of Sidhu Musewala, my picture is being misused by social media. I will take appropriate legal action against those people!! pic.twitter.com/c4RF2yHgcd
— Maninder Kaur Pabla ?? (@maninder811) May 29, 2022
Khera, too, conveyed her apologies to the Punjab resident.
Tweeted a picture of Goldy Brar which was already viral across social media platforms as that of the Murderer of our Congress leader #siddhumosewala
Deleted my tweet within a few minutes. My apologies to the Goldy Brar who’s picture I tweeted.
— Radhika Khera (@Radhika_Khera) May 29, 2022