Fact Check: Modi and Rahul Gandhi pose with Epstein? No, images are AI-generated
Two images are circulating online claiming that PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi were photographed with Jeffrey Epstein.
By - Rahul Adhikari
Claim:The images show PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi captured in photographs with Epstein.
Fact:False. The images are AI-generated.
Hyderabad: A few days after the US Justice Department released the Jeffrey Epstein files, two images surfaced on social media claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were captured in photos with Epstein.
Both pictures are identical. In one image, PM Modi is seen posing with Epstein and a woman, while in the other, Rahul Gandhi replaces him. A few users shared the image featuring PM Modi, while some shared the one with Gandhi.
One user shared the image allegedly featuring Rahul Gandhi on X and wrote, “Epstein Files: Pappu?” (Archive)
A user on Facebook shared the alleged image of PM Modi with Epstein, along with a text in Hindi that read, “It is because of this fear that Modiji does not speak against America. After all, everyone knows this truth.” (Archive)
Are these images real?
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral images are AI-generated and do not show PM Modi or Rahul Gandhi posing with Jeffrey Epstein.
Did the media report on the images?
A relevant keyword search did not reveal any credible media reports or social media posts that authenticated both images. This hinted that the images were artificially created.
Analysis of the images
We analysed the images featuring PM Modi using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation, which indicated a 69.8 per cent probability that they were generated using AI or contain AI elements.
We used the Google DeepMind SynthID detector to analyse the image of Rahul Gandhi. The tool confirmed that it was highly likely the image was created using SynthID.
To verify their authenticity, we uploaded both images to Google Gemini to assess whether they were AI-generated or showed any signs of manipulation. Gemini noted that the most obvious anomaly is that the person on the left changes while everything else in the image remains exactly the same.
It further added that, upon closer inspection, haloing and blurring can be seen around the necklines where the faces were added. The lighting on the faces also does not match the room. These are clear signs of a face swap intended to place the public figures into a fake scene.
Therefore, NewsMeter concluded that the images are AI-generated and that Rahul Gandhi and PM Modi were not photographed with Epstein. The claim is false.
