Chandigarh, Jun 18 (PTI) Days after the Akal Takht declared Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ‘Guru Dokhi’ (anti-Guru) over an alleged objectionable video, the Punjab AAP on Thursday said forensic tests by two labs showed that the man in the video is not Mann.
The ruling party in Punjab also accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of hatching a conspiracy to defame Mann.
Addressing the media here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the SAD of trying to defame Mann and asserted that those responsible for creating and circulating the “fabricated” video would be identified, thoroughly investigated and brought to justice.
A delegation of AAP also met Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, seeking a probe to expose those behind the entire “conspiracy”.
The Akal Takht on Monday declared Mann ‘Guru Dokhi’ (anti-Guru) and ‘Khalsa Panth virodhi’ (anti-Khalsa Panth) over the video.
The edict came after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj claimed that the video circulating on social media — purportedly showing a man resembling Mann — was found to be “authentic” by the two forensic laboratories. The video was neither tinkered with nor AI-generated, he had said.
Mann has already rejected the video, saying it was “false propaganda” aimed at defaming him.
Cheema targeted SAD, saying it is an “expert at hatching conspiracies”.
“For several days, Akali Dal leaders had been attempting to inflame public emotions by circulating a fake video and falsely linking it to CM Mann. The entire episode was part of a larger political conspiracy aimed at defaming a popular chief minister who has consistently worked for the people of Punjab,” the minister said.
“Ever since talks were initiated to enact the anti-sacrilege law, Bhagwant Mann has been targeted. Some conspiracy or the other is being hatched,” he added.
Cheema presented reports of two forensic labs claiming that the person in the video was not Mann and said the forensic analysis examined a total of 1,191 frames from the video.
Every aspect, including facial features, height, body structure, posture, movement patterns, side profile and back profile, was thoroughly analysed. The reports clearly conclude that the person shown in the video does not match Bhagwant Mann, he said.
According to the forensic reports, the height of the individual appearing in the video was estimated to be approximately 5 feet 10 inches, whereas Mann’s height is 5 feet 8 inches, Cheema said.
He said significant differences were also identified in body structure, shoulder alignment, facial characteristics and overall posture.
“It shows that the fake video does not match Bhagwant Mann,” he said, adding that the video was made using an actor to defame the chief minister.
These two labs are independent, located outside Punjab and recognised by the government of India, Cheema said, adding that these labs independently arrived at the same conclusion.
The matter stems from the summoning of Mann by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, in January this year for allegedly making comments on ‘Guru ki Golak’ (gurdwara donation box) and indulging in “objectionable activities” with the pictures of the Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in a purported video clip.
The opposition parties have been pressing for Mann’s resignation after the edict was issued against him.
Calling out the Akali Dal, Cheema said the party has a long and unfortunate history of “exploiting” religious issues for political gains while repeatedly failing to protect the sanctity of the ‘Panth’.
“The people of Punjab have not forgotten the 1986 Nakodar incident when sacred ‘saroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji were set on fire during the Akali Dal government. They have not forgotten the subsequent police firing in which four Sikh youths were killed while demanding justice,” he said.
The minister further pointed to the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents in Faridkot during the Akali Dal-BJP regime.
“The pattern is the same. Whenever Akali Dal and BJP were in power, ‘beadbi’ incidents took place and justice was denied. The people of Punjab have not forgotten these painful chapters,” he added.
Cheema alleged that SAD repeatedly sought votes in the name of the ‘Panth’ and projected itself as the custodian of ‘Panthic’ interests, but its record in government tells a different story.
He claimed that whenever Akali Dal came to power, incidents hurting the sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib took place under its watch, while those responsible continued to enjoy protection.
He said that the AAP government enacted the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2026, providing stringent punishment, including life imprisonment and heavy financial penalties, for acts of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. PTI CHS VSD KVK KVK
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