The Bharatpur police have made a substantial breakthrough by apprehending a suspect involved in the creation of a deepfake video targeting an independent MLA from Bayana Vidhan Sabha. The accused, identified as Ramaram Vishnoi (26), was arrested from Maharashtra, while an accomplice named Dinesh Kumar Vishnoi remains at large.
The accused Ramaram Vishnoi, hailing from Thob village in the Pachpadra Thana area of Balotra district, operates a cosmetic store in Aajra village, Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. The arrest was made following a joint effort between the local police and the Cyber Cell Bharatpur.
The incident came to light around 15 days ago when a deepfake video of Dr. Ritu Banawat, the independent MLA in question, surfaced on social media platforms. The explicit video, edited with nude photos of women, was circulated under the MLA’s name, leading her to file a complaint with Bharatpur SP Mrudul Kachhawa.
Bayana Thana in charge Sunil Kumar provided details of the police action, stating that the cyber cell, in collaboration with local authorities, successfully identified the individuals responsible for disseminating the fake videos. Acting on the information gathered, a police team was dispatched to Maharashtra, resulting in the arrest of Ramaram Kalvi from Aajra village, Kolhapur, on Tuesday.
During interrogation, the arrested suspect confessed to creating the fake video after finding the MLA’s photo on the internet. The motive behind the act was revealed to be an attempt to gain more followers on social media.
While Ramaram Vishnoi is now in custody, the police are actively pursuing Dinesh Kumar Vishnoi, the absconding accomplice residing in Bandhaniya village of Sedwa Thana area in Barmer district. Efforts are underway to apprehend Dinesh Vishnoi, and the investigation continues.
The Bharatpur SP, Mrudul Kachhawa, had directed the registration of a case at Bayana Thana under the IPC and IT Act against the social media users involved in the dissemination of the explicit deepfake video.