Fact Check: Viral photo of Asaduddin Owaisi with PM Modi is morphed

Social media users are sharing an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi sitting with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi and his party MP from Aurangabad Imtiaz Jaleel. They claim that the PM is training Owaisi for the upcoming elections.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi training Owaisi ji for the upcoming elections. The youth should be cautious because anything can happen for the power,” reads an English translation of a Facebook post.

An X premium user shared the image with the caption, “Bhai Bhai”.

Posts claiming the same can be viewed here and here.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the image had been digitally altered. The original one shows Owaisi with his party members, Sharique Naqshbandi and Imtiaz Jaleel.

Upon a reverse image search, we found the original image on Instagram, posted on February 7 by Shareque Naqshbandi, the city President of AIMIM Aurangabad.

Naqshbandi mentioned his interaction with Owaisi and Imtiaz Jaleel in the caption.

Here is a comparison of the viral and original images.

On performing a reverse image search of PM Modi’s photo, we found it on X, posted by the official account of PM Modi on October 9, 2018. It showed him with Canada’s Conservative Party leader, Andrew Scheer.

“Happy to meet Hon. @AndrewScheer, Canada’s Leader of the Opposition. Stressed the significance of strong India-Canada relations and wished him a pleasant stay in India, ” read the caption.

Here is a comparison of the viral and original images.

A report by Musnif Daily from September 28 reported on the digitally morphed image of PM Modi and Owaisi. It also mentioned that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered on the matter by Cyberabad Police in Hyderabad.

Hence, we conclude that the viral image of PM Modi with Asaduddin Owaisi is morphed.