Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
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
Recent video of AAP leader Sanjay Singh confronting police officers.
Fact
Video dates back to October 2021, and has been shared out of context.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh was granted bail by the Supreme Court in Delhi excise policy case on Tuesday. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the now scrapped Delhi liquor policy in October last year. In this backdrop, multiple social media users shared a video of Singh confronting police officials. Newschecker found that the video is old, and has been shared out of context.
Multiple X users shared the video stating, “Welcome back #SanjaySingh He knows how to deal with Modi’s Police, CBI, ED “
Archived versions of such tweets can be seen here, here, here and here.
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Fact Check/Verification
In the initial few frames Singh is heard speaking about ‘Yatras’ in Uttar Pradesh. We also noticed the watermark of “@PostTruthIndia” at the top left corner in the viral video.
Following this, we skimmed through the X account of user @PostTruthIndia, and found that the video was first shared on October 21, 2021. The caption of the same stated, “@SanjayAzadSln shows Yogi’s Police- who’s the real gangsta …#Tiranga_Virodhi_BJP”
We followed the hashtag used in the post, and found that the video was shared by multiple X users in October 2021. Such as this and this.
A similar video of an altercation between Singh and police officials was also shared on the official X handle of AAP Uttar Pradesh on October 21, 2021. In the video, the AAP leader can be heard arguing with the police after being denied permission for a Tiranga Yatra in Varanasi, claiming that the yatra was termed illegal.
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On comparing the keyframes of the viral video with the clip posted by AAP’s UP handle, we could conclude that they depict the same incident.
In an X post, dated October 21, 2021, AAP called out the Yogi government, stating that Singh and party workers who “arrived in Varanasi to take out Tiranga Yatra were arrested by Yogi Police.”
Multiple news outlets had reported on this incident such as this, this and this.
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Conclusion
Hence, we could conclude that a 2021 video of AAP leader Sanjay Singh confronting police officials after being denied permission to hold a Tiranga Yatra in UP’s Varanasi has been shared out of context.
Result: Missing Context
Sources
X Post By @PostTruthIndia, Dated October 21, 2021
X Post By @AAPUttarPradesh, Dated October 21, 2021
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
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.
