Cybercriminals target Hyderabad MP Owaisi, circulate his deepfake video promoting investment scheme

Hyderabad: A deepfake video featuring AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, falsely promoting an online investment scheme, has triggered a cybercrime investigation.

This comes after Owaisi lodged a formal complaint with the city police.

The manipulated video, which is being widely circulated on social media, shows Owaisi seemingly speaking in English and promising viewers a daily income of Rs 53,000 through a dubious online platform.

Alongside him, AI-generated clips of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, business magnate Mukesh Ambani and Narayana Murthy, and Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan are also shown endorsing the scheme, none of whom are associated with it.

Calling the video “malicious and misleading,” Owaisi stated in his complaint that the footage was created with the intent to deceive the public, exploit his identity, and spread false propaganda. He warned that such AI-driven misinformation could lead to financial fraud and cause reputational harm.

He demanded immediate removal of the video from all online platforms, a thorough probe to identify the perpetrators, and an official public advisory to warn citizens against falling for the scam.

In response, the Cyber Crime police registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act — including identity theft, cheating by personation, and violation of privacy — as well as under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita related to forgery and defamation.

Officials confirmed that a technical investigation is underway, with efforts focused on tracing the origin of the video and the individuals or groups responsible for its creation and distribution. Social media platforms have also been contacted for assistance.

Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any such suspicious content to cybercrime units immediately.