Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim: Gold biscuits recovered along with BJP’s election material during the police search in Ghatkopar, Mumbai.
Fact: False, only BJP’s campaign material and the plastic bottles of perfume were found in the search. Police has confirmed that no gold biscuits were found.
A viral video is circulating on social media alleging that gold biscuits were seized by the police during a raid on materials relating to the BJP’s election campaign in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Posting that video on Facebook one user wrote, “Lok Sabha election 2024 Ghatkopar police station limits during the frisking Ghatkopar police found gold biscuits in packets covered with BJP election campaigning materials.”
Many archive links of such claims can be seen here, here and here.
Fact Check/ Verification
We ran a reverse image search on one of the keyframes from the viral video, but it did not lead us anywhere.
We then conducted a keyword search on Google with relevant terms such as “Ghatkopar police”, “BJP”, “gold biscuits” and found some media reports on it, which can be read here, here, here and here.
As per an NDTV report published on May 11, 2024, BJP’s Mumbai North Central District Vice President Ajay Budgujar clarified that while the investigation was conducted for the gold biscuits, only plastic bottles of perfume were found.
Quoting Purushottam Karad, Deputy Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Lokmat.Com also reported that the police found only campaign material and not gold biscuits as has been alleged.
Many media outlets like Mumbai Press and Deccan Herald also published reports carrying the same information.
Newschecker further reached out to Ajay Budgujar, BJP’s Mumbai North Central District Vice President. He told us, “On May 9 night, I was taken to Chirag Nagar police station, Ghatkopar. After a long wait, the police started an investigation. Eventually, only campaign materials were found in my car, and no gold biscuits were found. Subsequently, I was released by the police. However, misinformation began circulating on social media claiming that gold biscuits had been recovered.”
Speaking to Newschecker, an official of the Chirag Nagar Police Station said, “The event was a part of the routine investigation by the Election Commission. No gold biscuits were found during our search.”
Conclusion
Thus we find that the claim of gold biscuits being found in possession of a BJP leader along with election material is false.
Result: False
Source
News published by NDTV on May 11, 2024
News published by Lokmat on May 11, 2024
News published by Mumbai Press on May 11, 2024
News published by Deccan Herald on May 11, 2024
Conversation with Ajay Badgujar, District Vice President, BJP Mumbai North Central Conversation with Chirag Nagar Police Station, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
