text:
This photo shows an Aboriginal Rock Art painting found in Australia, not in caves of Charama, Chhattisgarh - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 17, 2021
A photo is being widely shared through a post claiming that these are alien rock paintings found in the caves of Charama, Chhattisgarh. The post even claims that these 10,000-year-old rock paintings depict aliens and UFOs. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of rock paintings depicting aliens and UFOs in Charama, Chhattisgarh.
Fact: The photo is an Australian Aboriginal Rock Art painting. The painting is of the Creation Ancestors Namondjok, Namarrgon, and Barrginj in the Anbangbang gallery at Nourlangie in Kakadu National Park. According to a 2014 article by Times of India, Chhattisgarh state department of archaeology and culture had planned to seek help from NASA and ISRO for research on 10,000-year-old rock paintings depicting aliens and UFOs in Charama region of Chhattisgarh. A French expert had contradicted these claims in 2014. We could not find any recent credible news reports that confirm or contradict these claims made about rock paintings in Charama, Chhattisgarh. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When reverse image search is done on the photo, the same image was found in an article by the Smithsonian magazine. The article (a sponsored content) is titled, ‘Discover Ancient Rock Art In Australia’s Northern Territory’. The image is from Nourlangie, one of the top rock art sites in Australia. According to the article, these sites found in Kakadu National Park have been occupied by human settlements for more than 50,000 years.
The photo is an Australian Aboriginal Rock Art painting. The painting is of the Creation Ancestors Namondjok, Namarrgon, and Barrginj in the Anbangbang gallery at Nourlangie in Kakadu National Park. Nourlangie Rock’s main art site is the Anbangbang gallery with the paintings of Namondjok and Namarrgon, the lightning man.
To the left of the painting is Namondjok, below is Barrginj, his wife, and to the right is Namarrgon, the lightning man responsible for storms that occur every wet season. Beneath these three is a large group of men and women (as seen in the photo) with ceremonial headdresses.
According to a 2014 article by the Times of India, the Chhattisgarh state department of archaeology and culture had planned to seek help from NASA and ISRO for research on 10,000-year-old rock paintings depicting aliens and UFOs in the Charama region of Chhattisgarh. Articles about the same event can be seen here and here. A French expert had contradicted these claims in 2014. We could not find any recent credible news reports that confirm or contradict these claims made about rock paintings in Charama, Chhattisgarh. But the photo does not belong to the Charama region in Chhattisgarh.
Recently, a leaked video had shown a UFO disappear into the water. The Pentagon had confirmed these images of UFOs are part of ongoing investigations. UFOs were rebranded by the US government as ‘UAPs’ or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and the Pentagon confirmed the authenticity of some videos which have been circulating online
To sum it up, this photo shows an Aboriginal Rock Art painting found in Australia, not in the caves of Charama, Chhattisgarh.

created: September 17, 2021


text:
This photo shows Congress MPs protesting in Black Attire against GST, Price rise and unemployment, not Ayodhya Ram Temple - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 13, 2023
A photograph that showcases Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with other party members in black outfits is widely circulating on social media. The attached claim suggests that this portrayal was a protest against the foundation stone ceremony of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, which took place on 5 August 2020. Through this fact-checking article, we aim to uncover the authenticity of this claim.
Claim: Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs wore black outfits to protest against the foundation stone laying of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple on 5 August 2020.
Fact: While the photograph showing Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs in black outfits is real, the reason behind this is the protest against the price hike, unemployment, and GST hike on essential items. The incident took place on 5 August 2022, not 2020, as stated in the claim, and has nothing to do with the Ayodhya Ram Temple. Hence, the claim made in the post is rated as False.
A reverse image search of the viral photograph led us to numerous news reports (here, here, and here) from 2022 containing the same image. Contrary to the claim being made that this incident was tied to the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, it was reported that this was part of a nationwide protest against price rise, unemployment, and GST rate hike on essential items.
These events were mirrored in a photo caption stating, “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, wearing black clothes, along with party MPs, marches towards Rashtrapati Bhawan as part of party’s nationwide protest over price rise, unemployment and GST hike on essential items, in New Delhi,  5 August 2022.”
This directly contradicts the viral claim and provides substantial evidence that the black attire donned by Rahul Gandhi and the other Congress MPs was not tied to the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. Furthermore, the date provided —  5 August 2022 — does not align with the claim that the black attire was worn as a protest against the foundation stone laying of the temple on  5 August 2020.
To sum up, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs were seen in black attire as part of a protest against price rise, and unemployment, but not in opposition to the foundation stone laying of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, as the viral claim suggests.

source: news-factly

created: November 13, 2023

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


text:
This photo shows images of two different women who belong to the Qajar dynasty of Persia - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 16, 2022
A photo through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that the person in the photo is a Persian princess named Qajar. The post even claims that 13 young men killed themselves because she rejected their proposals. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of Persian princess Qajar; 13 young men killed themselves because she rejected them.
Fact: The photo has images of two different women. The bigger image shows Princess Fatemeh Khanum “Ismat al-Dawlah” (1855-1905) who was the second daughter of Nasar al-Din Shah Qajar, the King of Persia. The smaller image on the bottom is of Princess Zahra Khanum “Taj al-Saltanah” (1884-1936) who was the 12 daughter of Nasar al-Din Shah Qajar. These women belong to the Qajar dynasty, hence each one is generically called, Princess Qajar. There is no evidence that confirms that there were 13 young men who killed themselves because one of the Princess Qajar had rejected them. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
There are two images in the viral photo. When reverse image search is done on the images, it was found that they were two different people.
The bigger image shows Princess Fatemeh Khanum “Ismat al-Dawlah” (1855-1905). She was the second daughter of Nasar al-Din Shah Qajar, the King of Persia.
The smaller image on the bottom is of Princess Zahra Khanum “Taj al-Saltanah” (1884-1936). She was 12 daughter of Nasar al-Din Shah Qajar.
Couple of Blogs/ articles (here and here) were written on this viral photo, confirming that there are historical inaccuracies. According to these articles, this claim is being shared as a viral meme which is quite inaccurate. As these women were born in the Qajar dynasty, generically, they were known as Princess Qajar; but there were several of them, not one.
We could not find any evidence that confirms that there were 13 young men who killed themselves because one of the Princess Qajar had rejected them.
Princess Zahra Khanum “Taj al-Saltanah” was a writer of the Qajar Dynasty in Persia. She is said to have been a pioneer in Women’s rights in Iran (erstwhile Persia).
To sum it up, this photo shows images of two different women who belong to the Qajar dynasty of Persia.


text:
This photo shows Shiv Charan Yadav who failed 47 times in Rajasthan’s 10th Class exams - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 11, 2020
A photo of an old man is being shared widely on social media with a claim that he is 82-year-old Md Barkat Ali who failed 47 times in 10th Class exams. It is also being claimed that he finally passed in 2020 as 10th Class exams were cancelled in Telangana due to COVID-19. But, FACTLY has found that he is Shiv Charan Yadav, a resident of Rajasthan, who failed 47 times in 10th Class exams conducted by ‘Board of Secondary Education – Rajasthan’. He gave his 47 attempt in 2016 and it was widely reported by news agencies that he failed again in that year. So, he has no connection to 10th Class exams cancelled by the State government in Telangana. Also, as of today, the Rajasthan Government has not taken any decision to cancel the 10 Class exams. Recently, the dates for the remaining 10 Class exams were also announced in Rajasthan, which can be seen here and here.
Sources:
Claim –
1. Facebook post (Archived)
Fact –
1. ‘India Today’ article – https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/shiv-charan-yadav-47th-10th-board-exams-77-year-old-311750-2016-03-04
2. ‘News 18’ article – https://hindi.news18.com/photogallery/82-year-old-shiv-charan-yadav-fail-in-class-ten-exams-for-47th-time-889304.html
3. ‘Board of Secondary Education – Rajasthan’ website – http://rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in/
Did you watch our new video?


text:
This photo shows Sringar Chauri, a temple in the Chittorgarh Fort (Rajasthan), not a mosque - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 31, 2022
A photo of a structure is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows a temple that has been converted into a mosque. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo shows a temple that has been converted into a mosque.
Fact: The posted photo is not related to a mosque. The photo shows Sringar Chauri, a temple in the Chittorgarh Fort (Rajasthan). Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photo was run through Google Reverse Image Search, many similar photos were found in the search results. In 2020, when a social media user posted the same photo with a similar claim, another user replied saying that it is a temple called ‘Sringar Chauri’ at the Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan. Many similar photos of Sringar Chauri can be found on the internet. Some of them can be seen here, here, here, and here.
On the website of ‘Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)’ of the Ministry of Culture, the documentation of the structure in the photo can be found. In the document, it can be read that the structure is a ‘temple’. Also, in one of the photos on the website, the details regarding the temple can be read.
The Google Street View of that location can be seen here.
To sum it up, the posted photo shows Shringar Chauri, a temple in the Chittorgarh Fort (Rajasthan), not a mosque.


text:
This photo shows the Nidadavole Railway Station (AP) tracks filled with rainwater. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 14, 2020
Hyderabad received a huge amount of rainfall on 13 October 2020 (with some areas receiving more than 20 cm rainfall).  A lot of videos and photos are being shared on the internet claiming those to be of Hyderabad. While some of them show the actual visuals, the others are just picked up from other places and shared as recent and related to Hyderabad. A photo of a railway track filled with water is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows the Kacheguda Railway Station in Hyderabad. Also, some users are sharing the same photo as Jangoan Railway Station (Telangana) on WhatsApp. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo shows the Kacheguda Railway Station (Hyderabad) tracks filled with rainwater.
Fact: The photo shows the Nidadavole Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh. The photo is neither related to Kacheguda nor Jangoan, which are in Telangana. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photo in the post was run through Google Reverse Image Search, there were no proper search results. But it was found that some people have posted the same photo and mentioned that it is related to the Nidadavole Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh. So, when searched with these keywords, a video of Nidadavole Railway Station posted by ‘BBC News Telugu’ on 13 October 2020 was found. By comparing the visuals in the video and the photo, it can be concluded that the photo shows the Nidadavole Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh. An article by the ‘Eenadu’ on rainwater at the Nidadavole Railway Station can be read here.
A few photos and videos related to the recent rains in Hyderabad can be seen here.
To sum it up, a photo of Nidadavole Railway Station tracks filled with rainwater falsely shared as a photo of Railway Stations in Telangana.

created: October 14, 2020


text:
This photo shows Wings Models Hub ‘Miss India 2022’ winner - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 6, 2022
A photo through post is being widely shared on social media claiming that the woman is the winner of ‘Miss India 2022’ which was won for the first time by a Banjara girl. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of Miss India 2022 which was won for the first time by a Banjara girl.
Fact: The photo is of ‘Miss India’ 2022 winner from the Mr and Miss India 2022 Finals which was organised by Wings Models Hub. Wings Models Hub, according to its website, is a Modelling agency that organises Mr and Miss India competitions based on the registrations it receives. The winner name is Nikitha, but we could not verify if she belonged to the Banjara community. ‘Miss India’ competitions organised by Wings Model Hub is different from the more prominent ‘Miss India’ organised by Femina. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When reverse image search is done on the photo, the same visual was found in a YouTube video. According to the video report, the visuals were part of Mr and Miss India 2022 Finals organised by the Wings Models Hub. Wings Models Hub, according to its website, is a Modelling agency that organises Mr and Miss India competitions based on the registrations it receives.
According to the Wings model hub Instagram, the Wings Model Hub Miss India 2022 winner is Nikitha, but it was not mentioned that she was the first Banjara girl to win that prize. ‘Miss India’ competitions organised by Wings Model Hub is different from the more prominent ‘Miss India’ organised by Femina, the winners of who represent India in the similar global competitions.
To sum it up, this photo shows Wings Models Hub ‘Miss India 2022’ winner.


text:
This Photo was taken at the Baghdad Museum in Iraq, not at the British Museum - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 12, 2019
An image is being shared widely across the social media platforms and the claim is that it shows Iraqi archaeologist Dr. Abdallah and Iraqi poet Amal Aljabouri crying as they saw Iraqi artefacts in a British Museum that are stolen from Iraq in 2003. Let’s check the authenticity of that claim.
The post was originally shared in 2018 but it is being shared again and has attracted more than 29k shares till the time of writing this article.
Image of Iraqi archaeologist Dr. Abdallah and Iraqi poet Amal Aljabouri crying at a British Museum.
Fact: Image shows Iraqi man and woman crying when they visited the Assyrian gallery during a brief reopening of the Baghdad Museum in 2003 in Iraq to display the ancient Nimrud treasures. So, the claim is FALSE.
When the image in the post was subjected to Google reverse image search technique, an article of a news agency ‘Independent’ was obtained in the search results. In that article, published in November 2016, the same image was found in the gallery titled ‘The Destruction of Nimrud’. From the description of the photo, it was found that it shows an Iraqi man and woman crying in 2003 when they visited the Assyrian gallery during a brief reopening of the Baghdad Museum to display the ancient Nimrud treasure. The image had the photo credits to ‘Reuters’. So, when searched with relevant keywords in ‘Reuters pictures’, the same photo was found in its library. The information corroborated with the above finding that the image was taken at the Baghdad Museum. So, the photo wasn’t clicked at the British Museum as said in the post.
In the comments section of the post, a user Amal Al-Jabouri has written that it’s her picture and is being shared on social media with incorrect information. Amal Al-Jabouri has commented that the person seen along with her in the photo is Muwaffaq Tikriti and it was taken at Iraqi Museum in Baghdad and not at the British Museum. Amal (the website given in her comment describes her as a poet) has said that she and her colleagues started crying at the museum for the loss of Iraqi heritage and Iraqis.
To conclude, the image was taken at the Baghdad Museum in Iraq, not at the British Museum.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series?

created: November 12, 2019


text:
This photo was taken in Russia during the ‘Pancha-Tattva: Installation of deities’ ceremony in 2019. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 19, 2020
A photo of some idols placed on beds is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows Hindu priests treating COVID-19 infected gods in India. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Photo of COVID-19 infected gods being treated by Hindu Priests in India.
Fact: The photo was taken in Russia in 2019 i.e. before the COVID-19 pandemic. The idols were placed on the beds as part of the ‘Pancha-Tattva: Installation of deities’ ceremony. Neither the tradition nor the picture in the post has any connection with COVID-19. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photo was run through Yandex Reverse Image Search, a video with similar visuals was found in the search results. The same idols and beds, as seen in the photo, can be also found in the video. The video was uploaded on the ‘VK’ website (Russian social networking website) in July 2019. The same video was also found on YouTube.
The same user, who posted the above video, has also posted a video with the title – ‘Installation of Sri Sri Pancha-tattva, 27.07.2019, Omsk’ (translated from Russian by Google) in his account. In the video, the visuals of idols placed on beds can be also seen. In the title, the word – ‘Omsk’ can be seen. ‘Omsk’ is a city in Russia.
On the ‘VK’ website, a user has commented below with similar photos and mentioned that the idols were placed on beds as part of the official ceremony.
Few more photos from the ceremony, which was held in Russia, can be seen here, here, here, and here.
So, neither the tradition nor the picture in the post has any connection with COVID-19. For more information regarding the ‘Pancha-Tattva’, one can look at the ‘ISKCON’ website.
To sum it up, an old photo from Russia, which was taken during the ‘Pancha-Tattva: Installation of deities’ ceremony, is being falsely shared as photo of COVID-19 infected gods being treated by Hindu Priests in India.
Did you watch our new video?


text:
This photograph of PM Narendra Modi clicking pictures with the lens cap on is morphed. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 18, 2022
A post is being shared on social media with a photograph of PM Narendra Modi taking photos without removing the lens cap. Let’s fact-check this image through this article.
Claim: PM Narendra Modi captured photos without removing the lens cap.
Fact: The image in the post was captured on 17 September 2022; on his 72nd birthday, PM Narendra Modi released cheetahs brought from Namibia into a special enclosure at Kuno National Park. In the original image, the lens cap is off the camera used by PM Modi. The image being shared is flipped & digitally morphed. Hence the claim made in the post is False.
After searching the internet with relevant keywords, we were led to multiple news media reports which contained the image from the viral post. They can be read here & here.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the government also released the same picture.
View Post
On his 72nd birthday, PM Narendra Modi visited Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park to release the cheetahs brought from Namibia. This photograph was clicked during that event.  In the original image, PM Modi can be seen using a Nikon camera and the lens is clearly uncapped. The viral image is horizontally flipped & edited. Another giveaway is that the lens cover is of ‘Canon’ brand while the camera is of ‘Nikon’.
Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar has also tweeted this picture and later deleted it as BJP countered it as an edited image. The archived version of his tweet can be seen here.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP is sharing an edited image of Nikon camera with canon cover.
Such a bad attempt to spread fake propaganda. @MamataOfficial ..hire someone better who can atleast have common sense. https://t.co/rPgNb3mmM0
With this evidence, we can conclude that the image from the viral post is morphed/digitally altered.
To sum up, this photograph of PM Narendra Modi using a camera with the lens cap on is morphed.

created: September 18, 2022


text:
This picture is not a rare photograph of the Chola princess Kundavai - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 21, 2022
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows a rare photograph of the Chola princess Kundavai which is housed in the British Museum in Malaysia. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: A rare photograph of the Chola princess Kundavai which is housed in the British Museum in Malaysia.
Fact: The woman in the photo is not Chola princess Kundavai. The photo was taken in the 19 century CE whereas Chola princess Kundavai reportedly lived during the 10-11 century CE. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photo was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same picture was found to be uploaded on multiple websites. The ‘Alamy’ stock photos website has the same photo on its website with the following description – “Portrait of a seated girl wearing jewellery, from Madras (c. 1872)”. So, the photo was taken in the 19th century CE whereas the Chola Princess Kundavai reportedly lived during the 10th-11th century CE.
Also, the same photo can be seen on the ‘British Library’ website with a similar description that the photo is related to the 19 century CE.
To sum it up, portrait of an unrelated girl wearing jewellery is shared as a rare photograph of Chola princess Kundavai housed in the British Museum in Malaysia.

created: November 21, 2022


text:
This picture is not related to rains in Hyderabad - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 28, 2019
A picture is being shared on social media with the claim that it represents the situation in Hyderabad due to rains. Let’s try to analyze the extent of authenticity in this post.
Picture that represents the situation in Hyderabad due to rains.
Fact: The picture actually is that of a couple playing in the floodwaters that inundated their house during the recent floods in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
In the comments made in response to the tweet claiming it represents the situation in Hyderabad due to rains, several people commented that the picture is fake and a user posted a video claiming it to be from Prayagraj. The video talks about how a husband and his wife are enjoying in the floodwater that entered their home during the recent floods in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh.
On searching Google with the keywords ‘Husband Wife swimming in Prayagraj Flood’, we get to know that this video went viral during the floods in Prayagraj and was reported by media. We can look at these reports here and here.
To sum it up, screengrab from the video of husband and wife playing
in the floodwaters that inundated their house during the recent floods in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh is shared as the situation in Hyderabad due to rains.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series?

created: September 28, 2019


text:
This picture is not related to the proposed underground rail cum highway tunnel across the Brahmaputra river in Assam - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 2, 2022
A photo is being shared on social media claiming it as a design picture of India’s first underground road-cum-rail tunnel built across the Brahmaputra River in Assam. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Design picture of the road cum highway underwater tunnel to be built across the Brahmaputra river in Assam.
Fact: The image shared in the post shows the design picture of the Fehmarn Belt, an underwater road and rail tunnel constructed between Denmark and Germany in Europe. While the GoI announced plans to build a rail cum highway underwater tunnel across the Brahmaputra river in Assam, they did not release any design picture of this tunnel.  The photo shared in the post has nothing to do with the underwater rail cum highway tunnel to be built across the Brahmaputra river. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, the same photo was found published on the ‘Ramboll’ website. ‘Ramboll’ is a global architecture, engineering and consultancy company founded in Denmark.  Ramboll published this image on their website mentioning it as a design picture of the Fehmarn Belt, an underwater highway cum rail tunnel between Denmark and Germany.
The Tunnel Engineering Consultants, another consultancy that was involved in the construction of the Fehmarn Belt, had also published this image describing it as a design picture of the Fehmarn Belt. The ‘Consultancy.UK’ website too published the same image on their website. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the picture shared in the post shows an old design picture of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel.
Lately, several news websites published articles reporting that the Government of India, in coordination with the Border Roads Organization (BRO), was planning to construct a rail cum highway underwater tunnel across the Brahmaputra river in Assam. The Director-General Border Roads (DGBR) had recently carried out a recce of the site of Rail cum highway underwater tunnel being planned on Brahmaputra River. But neither the Ministry of Railways nor the BRO released the design picture of this underground tunnel planning to be built across the Brahmaputra river.
To sum it up, a design picture of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel is shared as that of the underground rail cum highway tunnel to be built across the Brahmaputra river in Assam.


text:
This picture of a half-burnt body of a Woman is related to a murder in Madhya Pradesh. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 5, 2020
A picture of a half-burnt body of a woman is being shared widely on social media with a claim that she was raped and burnt alive by Rizwan Ansari in Rajasthan. The same photo is also being shared in the context of Hathras (archived) and Balrampur (archived) incidents in Uttar Pradesh. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: The photo shows the half-burnt body of a woman who was raped and burnt alive in Rajasthan.
Fact: The posted photo is related to a murder in Dhar district (Madhya Pradesh). The woman was allegedly killed by Govind and Sohan over a dispute. The FIR on the incident does not mention rape. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On running the image through Google Reverse Image Search, similar photos were found to be tweeted by multiple users with the claim that the body of a woman was found burnt at Gandhwani in Dhar district (Madhya Pradesh). So, when we searched with relevant keywords, a news video published by ‘Asianet News – Hindi’ with similar visuals was found in the search results. In the description, it can be read that the incident took place in Gandhwani in Dhar district (Madhya Pradesh). The woman was allegedly killed by Govind and Sohan over a dispute. Multiple news articles regarding the incident can be read here, here and here.
There was no mention of rape in any news article. Also, the FIR filed on the incident does not mention rape. Only sections 302, 201 and 34 of IPC were mentioned. The FIR can be read here.
We were not able to find the details about the Rajasthan incident mentioned in the post. Usually, any such incident is widely reported by news agencies. But no such news reports were found about any similar recent incident.
To sum it up, the picture of a half-burnt body of a woman is related to a murder in Madhya Pradesh. It is neither related to Uttar Pradesh nor Rajasthan.

created: October 5, 2020


text:
This picture of Droupadi Murmu and Mohan Bhagwat is a morphed one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 7, 2022
Supreme court lawyer Prashant Bhushan shared a picture on Twitter that shows NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu & RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat standing in the same frame. In his post, Prashant Bhushan wrote: “BJP’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu visits Mohan Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur! Is there any doubt that she will just be a rubber stamp and not be able to function independently?”.  He later deleted it with apologies to Droupadi Murmu.
However, the same screenshot of the tweet is now being shared on Facebook with a similar claim by others. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of BJP’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu with Mohan Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
Fact: The photo is morphed by embedding one image into another. There is no evidence to confirm the meeting of Droupadi Murmu with Mohan Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur recently. Hence, the claim made is FALSE.
As there were no official media reports confirming Droupadi Murmu’s meeting with Mohan Bhagwat, we performed a reverse image search by cropping the picture and found the original pictures here and here.
Picture 1:
आज झारखण्ड सरकार के एक साल पूरे होने के अवसर पर राजभवन में राज्यपाल श्रीमती द्रौपदी मुर्मू जी से मुलाकात की। pic.twitter.com/Si262ts95D
The above picture was shared by Hemant Soren, Chief Minister of Jharkhand, on his Twitter handle on 29 Dec 2020. On completion of one year for the Jharkhand Government, Soren met Droupadi Murmu, the then Governor of Jharkhand at Raj Bhavan.
Picture 2:
राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ की अखिल भारतीय प्रतिनिधि सभा की बैठक आज गुजरात के कर्णावती में प्रारम्भ हुई। बैठक का शुभारम्भ पू. सरसंघचालक डॉ. मोहनजी भागवत और मा. सरकार्यवाह श्री दत्तात्रेय होसबाले जी ने भारत माता के चित्र पर पुष्पार्चन करके किया। बैठक 13 मार्च को सम्पन्न होगी। pic.twitter.com/gWNk7KwpwZ
This picture was posted by RSS on its official Twitter handle on the occasion of “Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha” held at Karnavati, Gujarat on March 11, 2022.
It is now clear that picture 2 is morphed by embedding Murmu’s image from picture 1 and then flipped horizontally.
To sum it up, the image is a morphed one and Droupadi Murmu did not meet Mohan Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur recently.


text:
This picture of Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu performing Vedic rituals is from 2020 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 1, 2022
A photo showing former President Ram Nath Kovind and his successor Droupadi Murmu offering prayers in a temple is being shared on social media claiming it is a recent picture taken ahead of latter’s official swearing in as the President of India. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo showing Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu performing Vedic rituals together before the official swearing in ceremony.
Fact: The photo shared in the post is an old one. The photo was taken in February 2020, when former President Ram Nath Kovind along with the then Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu performed prayers at the Baba Baidynath Temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand. This photo does not show Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu offering prayers before the latter’s official swearing in ceremony as the President of India. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, the same photo was found in an article published by the ‘Prabhat Khabar’ news website on 29 February 2020. ‘Prabhat Khabar’ reported it as the visuals of the then President Ram Nath Kovind offering special rituals at the Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand. In February 2020, as part of the two-day tour to Jharkhand, Ram Nath Kovind along with the then Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at the Baba Baidyanath temple.
Reporting the same, a few other news websites have published the same photo in their articles. A few of those articles can be seen here, here and here.
We could not find any recent reports of Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu performing Vedic rituals together before the latter’s swearing in as the President of India. A video showing the swearing-in-ceremony of President-elect Droupadi Murmu can be seen here.
To sum it up, an old photo shared as a recent picture of Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu performing Vedic rituals before the latter’s official swearing in as the President of India.

created: August 1, 2022


text:
This post attributes a made-up statement to Bill Gates as the reason for hiring Indian employees at Microsoft - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 19, 2022
A post is being shared on social media, which looks like a response by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to a question from the former U.S. president George Bush. According to the post, George Bush’s question is,’ People of the U.S. are unemployed! Why you are employing foreign Engineers in Microsoft ?’. As per the post, the answer of Bill Gates is,’ if we stop employing foreign engineers, especially from India. Then there will be another Microsoft born in India.’ Let’s fact-check this post through this article.
Claim: Bill Gates said,’ if we stop employing foreign engineers, especially from India. Then there will be another Microsoft born in India.’
Fact: Social media posts with similar claims have existed on the Internet for a very long time. There are no credible news reports about such a statement made by Bill Gates. Bill Gates is a popular figure in the technology & business space, and any statement he makes on India would generally receive extensive media coverage, but in this case, there is nothing. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We found similar social media posts dating back to 2014 (here and here). A user also posted a question on Quora asking if Bill Gates has ever made such a statement. The discussion can be read here. This was also posted in 2014, which means such a claim has been existing since then.
Factly has run a keyword search on the internet to know if Bill Gates has ever said that if Microsoft stops employing Indians, there will be another Microsoft in India. Except for a few other random social media posts, no substantial information was found on the web. Bill Gates is a popular figure in the technology & business space, and any statement he makes on India would generally receive extensive media coverage, at least in India, but in this case, there aren’t any.
Apart from this, Bill Gates has given his opinion on India in the past, which  can be read here and here. The statement that is being attributed to Bill Gates through the viral post is clearly an old hoax.
To sum it up, this post attributes a false statement to Bill Gates as the reason for hiring Indian employees at Microsoft.

created: October 19, 2022


text:
This post claiming holidays to schools and colleges in AP from 01 March to 04 May due to COVID-19 is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 26, 2021
A post is being shared on social media with a claim that all schools and colleges in Andhra Pradesh will be closed from 01 March 2021 to 04 May 2021 due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Holidays declared to all schools and colleges in Andhra Pradesh from 01 March – 04 May 2021 due to the increasing COVID-19 cases.
Fact: No such decision has been taken by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. AP Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh has clarified that there is no truth in the viral post. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched for the news given in the post, no credible news reports were found. Also, no such G.O. (Government Order) was found to be issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. On looking at the social media profiles of AP Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh, it was found that he has already clarified regarding the viral post. He posted that there is no truth in the posts declaring holidays from 01 March due to increasing COVID-19 cases (‘కరోనా సాకు చూపి మార్చ్1 నుండి పాఠశాలలకు సెలవులంటూ వైరల్ అవుతున్న వార్తలో నిజం లేదు’ – in Telugu). He said that a complaint has been filed on the fake posts. The Minister has also tweeted the same on his official Twitter profile.
pic.twitter.com/GdUSnPzrgH
Also, it can be observed there are a lot of spelling mistakes in the posted letter.
To sum it up, the post claiming holidays to schools and colleges in AP from 01 March to 04 May due to COVID-19 is fake.

created: February 26, 2021


text:
This post claiming to give the untold truths about Tirupati Balaji temple is false - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 29, 2022
A post is being widely shared on social media claiming that these are the untold truths of Tirupati Balaji temple. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: The untold truths of Tirumala temple.
Fact: When a similar claim about the Thirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple went viral in 2015, TTD chief priest Ramana Deekshitulu clarified to the media that they were wrong. Venkateswara Swamy idol does not have human-like features. Flowers offered to God do not come from a particular secret village. All the flowers used are grown in the groves around the Swami’s temple or from the flowers that are offered by the devotees. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Similar posts are going viral on social media claiming those to be of untold truths of the Tirumala temple. When a similar claim about the Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple went viral in 2015, TTD chief priest Ramana Deekshitulu clarified in an interview to ETV that false propaganda about the temple was being spread on social media. He said in the interview that some of the supposed truths mentioned in the post were false.
The hair on the idol is real, and the idol in the temple sweats?
“The Swami has no hair behind him”. Nor does the idol sweat. The head priest also said that it was ignorant to attribute all these to the unnatural lord, as these are all ‘human qualities’.
Flowers and other sacred items used in the Tirumala temple are brought from a secret village about 23 km from Tirupati:
“All the flowers used are grown in the groves around the Swami’s temple or from the flowers that are offered by the devotees.” There is no such secret village from where such supposed unique flowers are offered to Tirumala temple.
We could not find any credible information about what was said in the post regarding the untold truths of Tirupati Balaji temple, that is recently published after 2015.
To sum it up, this post claiming to give the untold truths about Tirupati Balaji temple is false.


text:
This post falsely claims digitally edited videos of car crashes as scientifically unexplainable occurrences - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 24, 2022
A post is being shared on social media that shows a video of cars getting crashed into thin air. The post claims that science can’t explain this. Let’s fact-check the post in this article.
Claim: Scientifically unexplainable or supernatural car crashes.
Fact: The clips of various cars crashing into thin air are taken from a shot film named ‘Ghost Crash’ made by an Italian Visual Effects Artist Donato Sansone. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
After performing a reverse image search on Yandex with screenshots from the video, we were led to a news article published by a UK-based Inews website. The article titled ‘Ghost crash? The explanation behind this viral ‘supernatural’ video.’ A photo collage in the article contains the same cars from the viral post. This article explains that snopes.com has debunked this video as a hoax.
We searched with relevant keywords on the internet and found the fact-check article published by Snopes. As per this article, real car crash videos were used to create this video, and cars were digitally erased from the original clips. This was created by an Italian Artist named Donato Sansone. All the clips from the viral video can be seen in his short film titled Ghost crash; it can be watched here and here. It can be concluded from this evidence that the car crashes that the post claims as supernatural or scientifically unexplainable are actually digitally created by Donato Sansone.
There is a clip in the viral video in which a man is mysteriously thrown into the air; we found a YouTube compilation video of weird and scary videos posted by a YouTube channel named Slapped Ham. The host gave no explanation in the video, and we could not trace the source of the clip.
To summarise, this post falsely claims digitally edited videos of car crashes as scientifically unexplainable occurrences.


text:
This post falsely claims that Cristiano Ronaldo has accidentally leaked his new club in his latest post - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 30, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo has accidentally leaked the name of his new club in his latest post. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Cristiano Ronaldo has accidentally leaked the name of his new club through this latest post.
Fact: The post description says that the link to the full post is in the comments; clicking on it leads to an article published by 90min.com titled  ‘Man Utd open to Cristiano Ronaldo sale as Chelsea prepare bid.’ Nowhere in the article is it mentioned that Ronaldo has leaked the name of his new club. Moreover, this article is from July 2022. The photo on the right side of the collage shared in the viral post was shared by Ronaldo on his Instagram on 01 January 2022, in which he expressed his unhappiness with what he and his team were achieving at Manchester United. He has not said anything about him changing his club in this post. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The viral post contains a link claiming to be that of the full post where Cristiano Ronaldo has leaked information about his new club. Clicking on the link led us to an article from July 2022 published on 90min.com. This is not a link  to any social media post shared by Ronaldo recently, as claimed in the viral post. The article states that ‘Manchester United will allow Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Old Trafford this summer and they are expecting an offer from Premier League rivals Chelsea in the near future, 90min understands.’ Nowhere in the article is it mentioned that Ronaldo shared or leaked the name of his news club through a post.
Since the post claims that Ronaldo leaked this information through his post, we performed a reverse image search with the other image of the collage, which is in the viral post. This led us to an old Instagram post by Ronaldo. In this post from 01 January 2022, he summarised his feelings about his performances in various tournaments and teams.
He expressed his unhappiness over the performance of his team Manchester United. In this old post, he did not leak any information about his plans to join a new club or the club’s name. First, the viral post uses a screenshot of an old post claiming it as a new one; secondly, the link that is shared in the post is of an old article. In both the post and the article, there is no mention of Ronaldo leaking the name of his new club. The post is clearly a false construct.
On further search on the internet to know if Ronaldo is really changing his club, we came across a few news reports that say ‘he is close to closing an agreement with Al Nassr from Saudi Arabia.’ This news came in as his contract was terminated by Manchester United over his controversial interview with Piers Morgan. You can learn more about this from here and here.
To sum up, this post falsely claims that Cristiano Ronaldo has accidentally leaked his new club in his latest post.

created: November 30, 2022


text:
This post falsely claims that the police were beaten by Muslims for issuing a challan. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 19, 2021
A video is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows a group of Muslims beating police in Bareilly (UP) for issuing a challan. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a group of Muslims beating the police in Bareilly (UP) for issuing a challan.
Fact: The people in the video are beating the police over an altercation at the bank. The incident has nothing to do with issuing a challan by the police. It took place at an SBI branch in Ghaziabad in 2018, not in Bareilly. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched for the incident in the video, similar visuals were found in a video uploaded by ‘Dilli Aajtak’ in August 2018. In the video, it was reported that the incident took place in Ghaziabad. The articles published by various new agencies on the incident can be seen here, here, and here.
According to the news reports, a man named Imran came to the bank (State Bank of India’s branch in Balram Nagar in Loni border) for some correction in his Aadhaar details but did not follow the queue. When objected by a bank official, he started creating ruckus and got into an argument with a private guard and a constable at the bank. But when they made him leave the bank, he returned with a group of 10-15 people who then allegedly beat up the constable. It was also reported that – ‘When the argument went further, the constable allegedly slapped Imran. Following this, Imran’s sister beat the constable. She allegedly beat him up with slippers……Two persons, Rashid and Ismail of Ashok Vihar Colony, have been arrested, the SSP said, adding that efforts are on to identify and nab the other accused.’ So, the incident has nothing to do with issuing a challan by the police.
In 2018, the Ghaziabad Police have also tweeted regarding the incident which can be seen here.
#Ghaziabadpolice ~ सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल थाना लोनी बॉर्डर क्षेत्र की वीडियो जिसमे 'पुलिसकर्मी के साथ महिला/युवक द्वारा बदतमीजी/मारपीट' की जा रही है। उक्त सम्बन्ध में जानकारी देते हुए @SspGhaziabad की वीडियो बाईट। @dgpup @Uppolice @adgzonemeerut @igrangemeerut @upcoprahul pic.twitter.com/TTZ0xuOXxm
The FIR copy related to this incident can be seen here. Also, the press release on the incident can be found in the ‘Navbharat Times’ article.
To sum it up, the post falsely claims that the police were beaten by Muslims for issuing a challan. The people in the video are beating the police over an altercation at the bank.

created: February 19, 2021


text:
This post falsely claims that women in the Brazilian town of Noiva do Cordeiro are desperately looking for men due to a shortage - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 2, 2022
A post is being shared on social media which claims that women in Noiva do Cordeiro, a town in Brazil, are desperately looking for men as there is a shortage of male population in their town. Let’s verify this claim in this article.
Claim: A town in Brazil Named “Noiva Do Cordeiro” has a shortage of men, and many beautiful women are desperately looking for men to love and marry them.
Fact: The news about Noiva do Cordeiro having a shortage of men was first reported by several news agencies in 2014. Speaking to BBC Brasil, Noiva do Cordeiro’s residents termed the claims baseless and several news agencies then deleted those stories. Hence the claim is False.
In August 2014, several news websites published reports about a Bazillian village, Noiva do Cordeiro. According to the news reports, this village has a population of 600 women, and due to  the lack of eligible bachelors, women made their appeal to interested men.
After this, BBC Brasil contacted and spoke to three village residents, who told them that these reports were baseless. According to the report, the village’s population is 300, comprising women and men, contrary to what the news reports say.
The residents told BBC that there was no campaign to find husbands. Rosalee Fernandes, one of the interviewees featured in the news reports (here), told BBC that she had not given any interviews. “What happens is that our husbands work in Belo Horizonte(a nearby city) during the week. But nobody here is desperate, no sir, we are workers”, she told BBC. “Please, you guys need to help us debunk this rumour. This is land of worthy people” Rosalee told BBC.
E-Farsas.com, a Brazillian fact-checking website, debunked this rumour in September 2014; the fact-check article can be read here. We have contacted Rosalee Fernandes for clarification and this article will be updated with her response once it is received.
To sum up, this post falsely claims that women in the Brazilian town of Noiva do Cordeiro are desperately looking for men due to a shortage which is also a very old hoax.

created: November 2, 2022


text:
This post falsely shares a VFX video as visuals of a real ghost that appeared in Karnataka's Mudigere - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 8, 2022
A video is being shared on social media in which a strange creature, allegedly a ghost, appears out of thin air and hovers on a pickup truck. The post description says that this incident really happened in Karnataka’s Mudigere. Let’s verify this video through this article.
Claim: Visuals of a ghost that appeared near a tea stall in Karnataka’s Mudigere.
Fact:  The visuals that appear in the video are created using VFX. A VFX breakdown of the video in the post is available on Youtube. There are no news reports regarding a ghost sighting in Mudigere. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We did a basic keyword search on the internet to know of any news reports  regarding a ghost sighting in Karnataka’s Mudigere, Chikmagalur district. But we did not find any relevant details.
To further our search, we used a keyframe from the video and performed a reverse image search. The search led us to a Youtube video titled – ‘VFX tutorial | flying witch caught on camera Cinema 4d and after effects.’
This tutorial consists of the visuals from the video uploaded in the viral post. The original video was created by a visual artist named Joseph Njovu. Based on the about section of the Youtube channel – ‘Joseph Njovu visuals’  to which this video is uploaded, it is a visual effects tutorial channel.
In the VFX breakdown video, the creator sliced through the process by which he created this VFX video using the tools Cinema 4d and After Effects. You can watch the full video here.
To sum up, the viral post falsely claims a VFX video created by Joseph Njovu as a visual of a ghost that was sighted in Karnataka’s Mudigere.

created: December 8, 2022


text:
This post is misleading people by comparing India’s 2014 GDP (PPP) rank with 2018 GDP (Nominal) rank - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 16, 2019
A post is being widely shared on Facebook with a claim that the Indian economy was 3 largest in the world in 2014 but it became 7 largest in the world in 2019. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Under Manmohan Singh, the Indian economy was 3rd largest in the world in 2014 but, under Modi, the Indian economy became 7th largest in the world in 2019.
Fact: The Indian economy was the third largest economy (in terms of PPP) in 2014 and retains the same position in 2019 (according to 2018 WB data). In the post, the 2014 economy rank based on GDP (PPP) is being compared to the 2018 economy rank which is based on GDP (nominal value). Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When searched for the news on India becoming 3 largest economy in the world in 2014, a news article by ‘The Economic Times’ on this issue was found in the search results. According to that article, the Indian economy surpassed Japan to become the 3 largest economy in the world in terms of PPP (Purchasing Power Parity). This rank was based on the survey conducted by World Bank’s International Comparison Program (ICP) (2011), the previous survey was conducted in 2005.
Also, when searched for the news on India becoming 7 largest economy in 2019, it was found in an article published by ‘The Times of India’ in 2019 that India slipped to 7 position, according to 2018 Global GDP rankings released by the World Bank. But these rankings are based on GDP (nominal) data, not GDP (PPP) data. The difference between the GDP (nominal) and the GDP (PPP) can be read here.
The 2018 rank of the Indian economy based on the GDP (PPP) data and this data can be found on the World Bank website. The Indian economy still retains the third largest economy (GDP-PPP) position in 2018 (data for 2019 not available).
The ranking of the India Economy in the last 15 years, based on the data [GDP (current US$) and GDP-PPP (current international $)] available on the World Bank website, can found in the table below:
The World Bank data shows that India’s GDP is at $2.7 trillion (in 2018). In the recent Union budget speech (2019-20), the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs said, “Indian economy will become a 3 trillion-dollar economy in the current year and is on the path of achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of a 5 trillion-dollar economy by 2024-25.” This year Economic Survey also mentions the government’s target of achieving 5 trillion-dollar economy by 2025-25 and calls for a sustained growth rate of 8 per cent to achieve that target.
To sum it up, the post is misleading people by comparing India’s2014 GDP (PPP) rank is to 2018 GDP (Nominal) rank.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Parliament?


text:
This post misleads by just listing the LPG prices and not mentioning the international FOB prices of LPG. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2021
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the LPG prices during 2011-2014 (under the UPA regime) were much higher than the recent times. The LPG prices from 2011 to 2021 are listed in the post. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: LPG prices during 2011-2014 (under the UPA regime) were much higher than the recent times.
Fact: While the LPG prices listed in the post are true for ‘Non-subsidised 14Kg Indane Gas’ (Delhi), there are some inconsistencies in the given prices. Multiple factors affect LPG prices. One of the major factors is the International FOB price of LPG.  The high LPG prices in the years 2013 and 2014 were mainly because of high FOB prices in those years. The post just lists the LPG prices but does not mention the international FOB prices, then and now. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched for the LPG prices mentioned in the post, it was found that they show the prices of ‘Non-subsidised 14Kg Indane Gas’. Similar prices for the period December 2013 – February 2021 (for Delhi) can be found on the Indian Oil’ website. But there are inconsistences in the given prices. While the December prices are taken for the years – 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2013, the same reference was not taken for the year 2014. The January price (Rs. 1241) was taken for the year 2014 whereas the December 2014 price was just Rs 752. Also, the LPG price in December 2018 was Rs. 809.50, not Rs. 609 (as mentioned in the post).
In the Ready Reckoner (June 2018) document published by the ‘Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC)’, one can see the ‘Price build-up of domestic LPG at Delhi’. It can be observed that multiple factors affect LPG prices. One of the major factors is the FOB price (‘FOB (free on board) of LPG is the weighted average of Saudi Aramco contract price (CP) for butane (60%) & propane (40%) for previous month and also includes daily quotes of premium / discount (published by Platts Gaswire) averaged for the previous month’) of LPG. In an answer to a question in Lok Sabha (2018), the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas said – ‘The Government continues to modulate the effective price to consumer for Subsidized Domestic LPG. The prices of non-subsidized domestic LPG are however, determined by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies in line with changes in international market. The prices of domestic LPG are based on international FOB prices of LPG and not of crude oil.’
The International FOB prices during 2012-2021 can be found in the Ready Reckoners (Nov-2014, Oct-2016, Nov-2017, Dec-2019, May-2020) and historical prices list given on the PPAC website. On looking at the prices, it can be observed that the FOB price of LPG was much higher in the years 2012-13 and 2013-14, when compared to the years during the NDA government. The high LPG prices in the years 2013 and 2014 were mainly because of high FOB prices in those years.
To sum it up, the post misleads people by just listing the LPG prices and not mentioning the international FOB prices of LPG, then and now.

created: February 21, 2021


text:
This post misleads people by blaming only States for the delay in installing the PSA Oxygen plants - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 26, 2021
A post is being shared on social media with a claim that the Central Government allocated funds to the States on 05 January 2021 from the PM CARES fund to install PSA Oxygen plants, but the States failed to install the required oxygen plants. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: The Central Government allocated funds to the States on 05 January 2021 from the PM CARES fund, but the States failed to install the required oxygen plants.
Fact: The PM CARES Fund Trust has allocated Rs.201.58 crores for the installation of 162 dedicated PSA Medical Oxygen Generation Plants to the Central Medical Supply Store (CMSS) (an autonomous body of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), not to the States. The responsibility of establishing the plants lies with the CMSS which is a part of the Central Government. The routine operations and maintenance are to be looked after by the hospitals/States. If it was the failure of only certain States (like Maharashtra and Delhi, which are mentioned in the post), then the delay in installing the oxygen plants might have been restricted to only those States. But, as of 18 April 2021, only 33 out of the 162 sanctioned oxygen plants were installed in the whole country. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched about the information mentioned in the post, a press release by the Prime Minister’s Office in January 2021 was found in the search results. In the press release, it can be read that the PM CARES Fund Trust allocated Rs.201.58 crores for the installation of 162 dedicated PSA Medical Oxygen Generation Plants in public health facilities.  It was not mentioned anywhere that the money was given to the States.
The Central Medical Supply Store (CMSS), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was given the responsibility of the procurement. Out of Rs.201.58 crores allocation, Rs.137.33 crores were allocated towards supply and commissioning of the plants and Management fee of Central Medical Supply Store (CMSS) and around Rs.64.25 crores towards Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract. However, in the press release, it can be read that the government hospitals where these plants are to be installed have been identified in consultation with the States/UTs concerned.
The tender document, related to 150 PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen generation plants, which was released by the Central Medical Supply Store (CMSS) in October 2020 can be seen here. The names of 10 hospitals in Maharashtra and 8 hospitals in Delhi can be seen in the list of 150 oxygen generation plant locations given in the document. The responsibility of establishing the plants lies with the CMSS. The routine operations and maintenance are to be looked after by the hospitals/States. The list of items to be completed by the hospitals can be read in the tender document.
In a series of tweets on 18 April 2021, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that out of 162 sanctioned PSA plants, only 33 have been installed; another 59 plants were expected to be installed by end of April 2021, and the remaining 80 plants by end of May 2021. They have also mentioned that the States have appreciated the installation of PSA oxygen plants. Recently, BJP MP Kishan Reddy has tweeted that he visited Gachibowli TIMS COVID Hospital in Hyderabad and reviewed the progress of the oxygen plant being set up by the Central Government.
The ‘LOA (Letter of Acceptance)’ related to the tender issued on 150 PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen generation plants was reportedly given in December 2020. The related documents can be seen here and here. Also, a company has been blacklisted recently on 13 April 2021 for not following the required procedures under the tender. When ‘Scroll’, a news organization, contacted the successful bidders and the listed hospitals, the companies have blamed hospitals for the delay whereas the hospitals blamed the companies for the delay. An article published by ‘The Print’ on the issue can be read here.
If it was the failure of only certain States (like Maharashtra and Delhi, which are mentioned in the post), then the delay in installing the oxygen plants might have been restricted to only those States. But, till 18 April 2021, only 33 out of the 162 sanctioned oxygen plants were installed in the whole country. So, it is not correct to blame only States for the delay in installing the plants across the country.  Recently, the PMO has announced that ‘the PM CARES Fund has given in-principle approval for allocation of funds for installation of 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants inside public health facilities in the country.
Based on the information shared by the PIB & MoHFW, below are the details of allocation for each state and the number of installed plants as of 18 April 2021.
Aam Aadmi Party through their official Twitter handle has also stated that the Delhi government has not received any amount from the Central Government to establish the oxygen plants.
दिल्ली में 8 Oxygen Plant ना लग पाने की दोषी मोदी सरकार!
➡केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय को जिम्मेदारी सौंपी गई
➡दिल्ली सरकार ने 8 अस्पताल में जमीन उपलब्ध करवाई
➡दिल्ली सरकार को ₹1 नहीं दिया
➡PM Cares Fund से पैसा केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय को दिया गयाhttps://t.co/BwwQcEpAxp
To sum it up, the post misleads people by blaming only States for the delay in installing the oxygen plants. Also, the PM CARES Fund Trust has allocated Rs. 201.58 crores for the installation of 162 dedicated PSA Medical Oxygen Generation Plants to the Central Medical Supply Store (CMSS), not to the States.
This story has been published as part of the Ekta News Coalition, a collaboration of six fact-checking organisations in India.


text:
This post of Ajit Doval's Independence Day greeting with Egyptian flag is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 20, 2020
A screenshot of a Facebook post purportedly made by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is being shared on social media with a claim that Ajit Doval posted India Independence Day wishes with the Egyptian flag. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
NSA Ajit Doval posted India Independence Day wishes with the Egyptian flag.
Fact: NSA Ajit Doval does not have an official handle on any of the social media platforms. Screenshot in the post is from a fan page of Ajit Doval. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching for the official handle of NSA Ajit Doval on Facebook, we found that NSA Ajit Doval does not have any official account on Facebook. Not only on Facebook, but Ajit Doval also does not have an official account on any of the social media platforms. Screenshot in the post is from a fan page of Ajit Doval.
We found several fan pages in the name of NSA Ajit Doval. When we searched for this screenshot in fan pages, we came across the fan account that posted Independence day wishes with the Egyptian flag. We do not see the Egypt flag in the post now, but the edit history of this post shows that the wishes were first posted with an emoji of the Egypt flag.
To sum it up, screenshot of a fan page post is falsely shared alleging NSA Ajit Doval posted Independence Day wishes with the Egyptian flag.
Did you watch our new video?


text:
This post shares a video of a fire accident in Ecuador as one captured in Mexico - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 2, 2023
Amid reports of volcanic activity in Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano or ‘El Popo,’ a video has been circulating on social media showing water boiling under a highway road. The post claims that this incident occurred in Veracruz, Mexico, attributing it to volcanic activity in El Popo. Let’s fact-check this claim to determine its accuracy.
Claim: The visuals of water boiling under pits formed on a highway in Veracruz, Mexico, are a result of volcanic activity in Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcanic mountain.
Fact: This video does not depict an incident in Mexico but rather an incident in Guayaquil, Ecuador. A fire broke under an overpass on Pedro Menendez Gilbert Avenue, Guayaquil. The cause of this fire is not a volcanic eruption. Hence the claim made in the post is False.
The video in question actually shows a fire accident that occurred under the overpass of Av. Pedro Menéndez Gilbert in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and not in Mexico. The cause of the fire was not a volcanic eruption.
A reverse image search led us to a tweet from the Ecuadorian media organisation “La Data Ec,” which contained the same visuals. According to the tweet, the incident occurred on 27 April 2023 under an overpass in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
#Urgente ¡El puente hierve!
El fuego se registró debajo del paso a desnivel, de la Av. Pedro Menéndez Gilbert, ubicado frente a la ciudadela de La FAE – Guayaquil.
Ocho camiones de Bomberos llegaron al lugar, para apagar el fuego, que ha estado activo por más de 5 horas.#LaData pic.twitter.com/OsWu91AC60
A news report from Primicias, an Ecuadorian media outlet, confirms that the fire was caused by people living on the streets and not by volcanic activity. The local fire department successfully extinguished the fire after eight hours. You can see the news reports here and here to learn more about the incident.
To sum up, the video misattributes an incident in Ecuador to the streets of Veracruz, Mexico, and falsely connects it to volcanic activity.


text:
This post shares an animated video as actual footage of Paris' Arc de Triomphe decorated with a rainbow flag - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 9, 2023
A video in which Paris’ Arc de Triomphe can be seen with a looping rainbow flag installed is being shared on social media cliaming that this was done to commemorate Pride Month. Let’s verify this claim through this post.
Claim:  Footage shows a real looping rainbow flag installed at Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.
Fact: The viral video does not show an actual flag installation but a 3D animation created by digital artist Ian Padgham. No credible news reports support the claim, and evidence from Padgham’s social media accounts confirms the nature of the video as a digital creation. Hence the claim made in the post is False.
In our search for evidence to support the claim, we looked for relevant news reports about the rainbow installation on the Arc de Triomphe but found no credible sources to validate it.
However, a reverse image search using keyframes from the video led us to an Instagram post by ‘moltenimmersiveart‘, attributing the video to Ian Padgham, a video artist known for his 3D animated creations. Padgham himself uploaded the video on Instagram and Twitter.
A post shared by Ian Padgham (@origiful)
Further evidence supporting the digital nature of the video can be found in Padgham’s response to a comment suggesting the use of AI. He clarified that no AI was employed, and the animation was created through manual 3D animation techniques and meticulous editing.
No AI was used. Just me doing 3D animation and lots of hand-edited details.
Padgham has a history of producing similar animated videos, as evident from his social media accounts, including one where the renowned “Big Ben” tower appeared bent.
To sum up, the viral video does not represent an actual rainbow flag installation on the Arc de Triomphe commemorating Pride Month. It is a digital animation created by Ian Padgham, a video artist known for his creative works.


text:
This post shares an edited image to claim that Cristiano Ronaldo is supporting Argentina - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 16, 2022
A social media post shares a photo of Portugal football player Cristiano Ronaldo seeming to support the Argentinian football team. Lionel Messi’s image can be seen on a TV screen behind him. Let’s fact-check this post through this article.
Claim: A photo of Cristiano Ronaldo supporting the Argentina football team with Lionel Messi’s photo a TV Screen behind him.
Fact: This photo is a morphed version of the original picture shared by Cristiano Ronaldo on his Instagram in October 2020. Reportedly, Ronaldo was in quarantine due to COVID-19, and he shared this picture in support of his team, who were playing a game in the Nations League against Sweden. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A reverse image search using this photo led us to a news article by ‘The Sun’. This article shared the same photograph as in the viral post, but a stadium can be seen on TV instead of Lionel Messi. The photo is captioned – ‘The Portuguese megastar is currently isolating with coronavirusCredit: Instagram / @cristiano.‘
With this hint, we looked for the same image on his Instagram and found it uploaded on 15 October 2020.
A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)
Reportedly, he tested COVID-19 positive at that time and posted this picture in support of his team, who were playing against Sweden in the Nations League (here and here ). This photo is edited and used in the viral post to make it look like he is supporting Argentina in the context of the ongoing FIFA world cup.
To sum up, this post shares an edited image to claim that Cristiano Ronaldo is supporting Argentina.

created: December 16, 2022


text:
This poster about an upcoming BSP government’s ad in Lucknow Metro is not true - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 2, 2022
In the wake of upcoming elections in UP, a photo through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming it to be the upcoming BSP government’s poster in Lucknow Metro. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of upcoming BSP government’s poster in Lucknow Metro.
Fact: The BSP’s poster in the photo has been made from a billboard template available on the internet. BSP office and Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) MD Shri Kumar Keshav, confirmed to Aaj Tak that there is no such poster in Lucknow Metro. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When reverse image search is done on the photo, similar photos are found on the Behance website (here and here). However, the billboards do not mention the Bahujan Samaj Party. There are many such billboards with images of different brands on the website (here and here). Behance is a platform owned by Adobe to display creative work from across the world.
Another website had this ‘curved subway billboard’ as template that could be edited to include any image of one’s choice.
We could not find any information online whether any such billboards of Bahujan Samaj Party’s advertisements were displayed in Lucknow Metro. When a similar claim about BSP’s poster in Lucknow metro was viral earlier, Aaj Tak contacted the BSP office and Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) MD Shri Kumar Keshav, who denied the existence of such a poster in Lucknow Metro.
To sum it up, this poster about an upcoming BSP government ad in Lucknow Metro is not true.

created: February 2, 2022


text:
This price buildup saying State government collects more tax on Petrol than the Centre is inaccurate - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 16, 2021
A post claiming that state governments are charging more tax on petrol than the central government is being widely shared across social media platforms. The post also shares a purported price buildup of petrol which alludes state government is charging almost double the tax compared to the central government. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: State governments are collecting more tax on petrol compared to the central government.
Fact: As per the price buildup by IOCL as of 01 February 2021 in Delhi, of the retail selling price, the price charged to dealers by IOCL is ₹ 29.71 and the Commission paid to the dealers is ₹ 3.69. The Central Excise Duty forms the major component with ₹ 32.98. Delhi levies a state VAT of 30% which amounts to ₹19.92. Even according to the price buildup of other states, the component of central tax is more compared to that of state VAT. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
As per the price build-up by IOCL as of 01 February 2021 available on Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell, the price of petrol per litre at any retail petrol pump of Indian Oil outlet in Delhi is Rs. 86.30. Of the retail selling price, the price charged to dealers by IOCL is ₹ 29.71 and the Commission being paid to the dealers is Rs. 3.69. The Central Excise Duty forms the major component with Rs. 32.98. Delhi levies a state VAT of 30% which amounts to Rs.19.92. Price buildup of Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum can be seen here and here.
Sales tax (VAT) collected by state governments is not uniform in all states. It varies from state to state. As per the information available on the PPAC website, various state governments follow different approaches to collecting tax on petrol. For example, few states like Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha etc. levy VAT on petrol and diesel. Whereas other states impose surcharges, fixed charges, etc. in addition to state VAT. Price build of few states calculated based on the price buildup of Delhi can be seen below. From this, it is evident that the tax that reaches the central exchequer in the form of excise duty and cess on petrol is more than the amount which reaches the state exchequer.
Generally, the central government collects basic excise duty, special additional excise duty, agriculture infrastructure & development cess, and Road and infrastructure cess. The funds collected in the form of cess are earmarked for the pre-determined purpose and these funds are not distributed among states. The states, however, receive their share in taxes collected in the form of central excise duty in proportions as recommended by the finance commission. However, this component of revenue collected on per litre petrol is very less compared to the State VAT and Central excise duty. FACTLY has earlier written a detailed explainer about the share of central and state governments on taxes levied on petrol and diesel, which can be read here.
It is noteworthy to mention that in the recently proposed 2021-22 budget, central government has introduced agriculture and development cess of Rs. 2.5/Ltr on petrol and Rs. 4/Ltr on diesel. Consequent to the imposition of Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess on petrol and diesel, the Basic excise duty (BED) and Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) rates have been reduced proportionately so that consumer does not bear any additional burden. However, this move will affect the states’ revenue as reduced excise duty implies a decrease in states’ share in the excise duty.
FACTLY has earlier written debunking claims related to central & states share on excise duty collected on petrol, price buildup of petrol and price of petrol in different states.
To sum it up, inaccurate details of price buildup of petrol are being shared stating State governments collect more tax on Petrol than Centre.

created: February 16, 2021


text:
This primary school in UP’s Sambhal district was renovated in 2016 before Yogi Adityanath took over as CM - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 6, 2022
A collage of images is being shared on social media claiming it is the pictures of a modern primary school recently built by the Yogi Adityanath government in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. Sharing the pictures, this post says that if the school was from Delhi, it would have been written about in foreign newspapers. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Pictures of a modern primary school recently built by the Yogi Adityanath government in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh.
Fact: The pictures do show a government primary school in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. However, the primary school was renovated by its school headmaster Kapil Kumar Malik in 2016, before the Yogi Adityanath government took over in 2017. Kapil Kumar spent 12 Lakhs of his own money for the renovation of this primary school in the Sambhal district. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
On reverse image search of the images shared in the post, similar photos were found in a tweet published by the present Agra District Magistrate, Prabhu N Singh, on 10 October 2016. Sharing the pictures, Prabhu N Singh tweeted it as one of the primary schools located in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. From the tweet, it is clear that the primary school was renovated before Yogi Adityanath first took oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 19 March 2017.
One of the primary school in Sambhal district of UP# Kudos to all who made this happens  # hope it's replicated all across pic.twitter.com/5tbWHYLhdv
When we searched for further details using keywords on the internet, we found the complete details of this primary school in an article published by ‘Amar Ujala’ on 19 January 2017. ‘Amar Ujala’ reported that this hi-tech primary school was in the Moradabad division of the Sambhal district. According to the article, this school was renovated by its headmaster Kapil Kumar Malik at his own expense.
According to Kapil, a hi-tech computer lab has been set up inside the school and the children were taught with projectors and 3D pictures. Speaking about the government funding, Kapil Kumar told ‘Amar Ujala’ that the government allocates an annual budget of 5000 rupees for the development of the school and that it is insufficient. Kapil Kumar told ‘Amar Ujala’ that he had spent 12 Lakh rupees of his own money for the renovation of this school. Reporting the complete details of this school, several other news websites have also published articles and videos. They can be seen here and here.
A photo shared in the post shows the premises of a school located in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. The Bareilly District Magistrate’s official Twitter handle tweeted the same photo on 09 July 2020. But the other images shared in the post show a government primary school renovated by its headmaster in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh.
कक्षाओं, बरामदों में बेहतरीन टाइल्स एवं इंटरलॉकिंग के प्रांगण पहचान बन चुके हैं बरेली में ग्रमीण क्षेत्रों के प्राथमिक और जूनियर स्कूल।'ऑपरेशन कायाकल्प' से हुआ है ये कायाकल्प। 1292 स्कूलों का सुंदरीकरण हो चुका है,775 अन्य स्कूलों का किया जा रहा है कायाकल्प। @CMOfficeUP pic.twitter.com/viSZY5yHWv
To sum it up, this primary school in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district was renovated before Yogi Adityanath took over as CM in 2017.

created: September 6, 2022


text:
This mention of punishment under Section 66A of IT Act by the UP police for sending three friend requests on FB is an old one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 20, 2023
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the Yogi Adityanath government has come up with a new law in UP. Under this law, anyone who sends a friend request three times to a girl will be put in jail for three years along with a fine of five lakh rupees. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Yogi Adityanath government in UP has brought a new law under which anyone who sends a friend request three times to a girl will be put in jail for three years along with a fine of five lakh rupees.
Fact: According to the news reports in 2013, a circular from the DGP has mentioned that if a girl complains and provides proofs of the multiple friend requests, then action can be taken under Section 66A of the Information Technology Act as it can come under cyber bullying. So, this is not a recent development, and is not brought by the Yogi Adityanath government. Also, Section 66A of the IT Act has been struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched on the internet regarding the claim made in the post, we found similar posts being shared on social media from 2013. Some news agencies like ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ and ‘Jagran’ have also published similar news reports in 2013. According to the news reports, a circular from the DGP has mentioned that if a girl complains and provides proofs of the multiple friend requests, then the action can be taken under Section 66A of the Information Technology Act as it can come under cyber bullying. So, this is not a recent development and is not brought by the Yogi Adityanath government.
It should be noted that Section 66A of the IT Act has been struck down by Supreme Court in March 2015 in the Shreya Singhal vs. Union of India case. Even after SC struck down the Section 66A, the police were booking people under this section. So, recently in 2022, the SC has ordered States and their police forces to stop prosecutions under Section 66A of the IT Act.
To sum it up, this mention of punishment under Section 66A of IT Act by the UP police for sending three friend requests on FB is an old one. Also, Section 66A of IT Act is not applicable now.

created: January 20, 2023


text:
This image of a purported Aaj Tak survey results in favour of Rahul Gandhi is edited - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 14, 2022
A photo of a survey results purportedly published by ‘Aaj Tak’ news channel is being shared on social media claiming that the Aaj Tak’s latest ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll,  conducted after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, shows an emerging trend of Rahul Gandhi’s increasing popularity among the people of the country. The purported Aaj Tak survey poll result shows Rahul Gandhi leading the popularity survey poll with 52% and Narendra Modi in the second position with 46%. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Results of Aaj Tak’s latest survey that was conducted after the Bharat Jodo Yatra that shows Rahul Gandhi is popular than Modi.
Fact: The Aaj Tak survey result photo shared in the post is an edited one. The image shared in the post compares the results of two different survey poll questions asked as part of Aaj Tak’s ‘Mood of the Nation survey held in 2019. Aaj Tak through a tweet clarified it as a photoshopped image and said that they had not conducted any such survey. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched to find the details of the photo using keywords on the internet, we found that the survey poll photo is related to Aaj Tak’s ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll, telecast in January 2019.  Aaj Tak conducted this survey in view of the 2019 General Elections. For a survey poll question, “Who is PM Narendra Modi’s best alternative among the opposition leaders?”, Aaj Tak’s ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey poll results revealed that 52% of voters think Rahul Gandhi is the best alternative to PM Narendra Modi among the opposition leaders. This poll was conducted among Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Aravind Kejriwal and Mayawati. One could see those visuals from 19:54 minutes of the video.
For another survey question, “Who will be the next Prime Minister?”, Narendra Modi received the highest 46% of votes. Whereas Rahul Gandhi received 34% of the votes in this survey poll results. One could see these visuals from the 7:56 minutes of the video. The image shared in the post compares the results of two different survey questions asked as part of Aaj Tak’s ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey held in 2019.
Lately, when the Indian National Congress Delhi tweeted this edited image on their official Twitter handle, Aaj Tak published a tweet clarifying it to be a photoshopped image. Aaj Tak said that they have not conducted any such survey and confirmed it as a fake image.
CLARIFICATION: @INCDelhi इस ट्वीट में शेयर की गई जानकारी पूरी तरह से गलत है. यह तस्वीर Photoshopped है. आजतक ने ऐसा कोई सर्वे नहीं कराया है, यह पूरी तरह Fake है. हम आशा करते हैं कि आपके जैसे जिम्मेदार राजनीतिक संगठन आजतक के नाम पर गलत ख़बर वाले इस ट्वीट को तुरंत हटा लेंगे
धन्यवाद https://t.co/lsC8YtHA6Z
To sum it up, this purported Aaj Tak survey poll results in favour of Rahul Gandhi is an edited one.

created: October 14, 2022


text:
This purported ‘ABP News’ clip favouring AAP in upcoming Gujarat elections is a fabricated one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 21, 2022
In the context of Arvind Kejriwal’s rally organised in Gujarat for the upcoming assembly elections, a purported video of ‘ABP News’ Channel is being shared on social media with a claim that in view of huge crowds at rally, now even the Godi media has to show the truth. The video highlights the failures of BJP government and shows people supporting AAP. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of ‘ABP News’ supporting Kejriwal’s AAP in upcoming Gujarat elections.
Fact: The Original video was uploaded on 16 October 2022 by ‘ABP News’ YouTube channel. Original video doesn’t support the Kejriwal’s ‘IB Report’ claim but checks it. Except for the Anchor’s introduction, the narration and the visuals including the overlaid text are edited in the viral video. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We searched the internet with relevant keywords and found that the original video was uploaded on 16 October 2022 by ‘ABP News’ on its YouTube Channel with the title, “What is the truth of Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘IB report’ claim? Watch this Ground report | Gujarat Election”.
We, then compared both the videos and found that the narrator’s voice is entirely different in both the videos. The first 33 seconds in the viral video is taken from the ‘ABP News’ Original video (0:11 to 0:56). But when the narration begins, audio, visuals and overlaid text changed completely. Comparison can be seen here and here
Moreover, in the original video, one can see people supporting AAP, BJP, and Congress. While the fake video shows only the opinions of AAP supporters. Further research revealed that the profile of this Facebook user, who shared the viral video says ‘Digital Creator’ and posted some altered content earlier too.
To sum it up, this news clipping shared in the name of ‘ABP News’ is fabricated.

created: October 21, 2022


text:
This purported Boston University website offering fully funded scholarship courses is fraudulent - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 10, 2022
A purported Boston University website link is being shared on social media claiming that Boston University is offering fully funded B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. scholarship courses for all nationals joining the institution in 2022. This post claims that the Boston University fully funded scholarship courses will cover travel expenses, housing, accommodation, and other additional benefits to the students. Interested students of age 15 or above, who can speak basic English with a minimum of High school certificate were asked to fill the application. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: US Boston University is offering fully funded B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. scholarship courses for all Nationals applying in 2022.
Fact: The website link shared in the post leads to a fraudulent website.  International students studying at Boston University are eligible for only two scholarships,  the Trustee scholarship and the Presidential scholarship. Both are offered on a competitive basis to those with outstanding academic records. A Trustee scholarship program could offer full graduation Tuition plus mandatory undergraduate student fees. Boston University only welcomes approximately 20 outstanding students to the Trustee Scholarship program. Boston University did not announce any such fully funded scholarship courses for the students joining their institution in 2022. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The purported Boston University website link shared in the post is presently not working. On opening the website, we could see a disclaimer stating, “Attackers on scholarship.get-offerr.online may trick you into doing something dangerous like installing software or revealing your personal information”. The archived version of the website can be seen here. This fraudulent website leads to an application form asking to fill in the personal details of the students.
On searching for more details regarding this website using ‘Whois.com’, we found that this website with the domain name ‘get-offer.online’ was registered on 05 October 2021. The details of the registrar and the company handling this website were not available.
When we searched to check whether Boston University had announced any such fully funded B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. scholarship courses on their website, we could not find any notification on the Boston University Admission website. Also, we could not find any such fully funded course announcement on the official Twitter handle of Boston University.
The financial aid for the Boston University graduates depends on various factors including the most accomplished past academics, attendance, financial ability of the students, and others. According to the information provided on the Boston University official website,  International students studying at Boston University are eligible for only two scholarships, specifically the Trustee scholarship and the Presidential scholarship. Both are offered on a competitive basis to those with outstanding academic records. A Trustee scholarship program offers full graduation tuition plus mandatory undergraduate student fees and is renewable for four years if certain criteria are met. Boston University welcomes approximately 20 outstanding students to the Trustee Scholarship program.
The other financial aid scholarships provided for the US nationals by the Federal Government and State Governments will take into consideration of the academic record and the financial situation of the students.
To sum it up, this purported Boston University website offering fully funded scholarship courses is a fraudulent one.

created: January 10, 2022


text:
This purported breaking news bulletin of ‘Aaj Tak’ reporting journalist Suresh Chavhanke’s wife eloping with a Muslim man is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 26, 2023
A screenshot of a breaking news bulletin purportedly telecast by the ‘Aaj Tak’ news channel is being shared on social media claiming that journalist Suresh Chavhanke’s wife had eloped with a Muslim man. The post claims that Suresh Chavhanke, the Editor-in-Chief of the Sudarshan News channel, who runs campaigns against love jihad on his channel had himself become a victim of the love jihad. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Screenshot of ‘Aaj Tak’ breaking news bulletin reporting Suresh Chavhanke’s wife eloping with a Muslim man.
Fact: The image shared in the post is a doctored one. The image was created using an online breaking news template published by a YouTube channel named ‘MTC Tutorials’. ‘Aaj Tak’ published a fact-check clarifying that the purported breaking news template is a doctored one and was not published by them. Suresh Chavhanke’s wife Maya Chavhanke too dismissed these rumours about her eloping with a Muslim man. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
When we searched to check whether there are any news reports about Sudarshan News channel Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke’s wife eloping with a Muslim man, we could not find any news reports confirming this. On comparing the screenshot of the usual breaking news template telecast by the ‘Aaj Tak’ news channel with that of the image shared in the post, we found significant differences in the two templates. The original template of the ‘Aaj Tak’ news channel displays the word breaking news in all capital letters (‘BREAKING NEWS’), whereas the template shared in the post displays breaking news as ‘Breaking News’. Also, in the original ‘Aaj Tak’ news template, there is no news scrolling at the bottom as shown in the viral image shared in the post.
When we searched for further sources, we found that the ‘Aaj Tak’ news website had published a fact-check article regarding this fake news bulletin attributed to their news channel on social media. ‘Aaj Tak’ through the fact-check article clarified that the purported breaking news bulletin is doctored and emphasized that they did not report any such news about journalist Suresh Chavhanke’s wife eloping with a Muslim man. ‘Aaj Tak’ in the article reported that the breaking news bulletin was created using an online breaking news template design published by a YouTube channel named ‘MTC Tutorials’.
Suresh Chavhanke, the Editor-in-Chief of the Sudarshan News channel, tweeted the image in the viral screenshot on 27 September 2020, on the occasion of his wife Maya Chavhanke’s birthday. Suresh Chavhanke through a tweet dismissed these false rumours about his wife eloping with a Muslim man. Suresh Chavhanke’s wife Maya Chavhanke too dismissed these rumours calling it false propaganda intentionally created by unrighteous people.
अधर्मियों, हम शुद्ध सनातनी हैं। न घर से भागते हैं न युद्ध से..
हम पर कुदृष्टि रखने वाले का सोने का साम्राज्य भी हमारे वीर जला देते हैं..,
तुम सब मिल कर मेरे धर्म योद्धा पती से सिद्धांतों की लड़ाई में परास्त हो। यह पोस्ट उसका प्रतीक हैं। pic.twitter.com/OHfKyZrRdF
To sum it up, this purported breaking news bulletin of ‘Aaj Tak’ reporting journalist Suresh Chavhanke’s wife eloping with a Muslim man is a doctored one.


text:
This purported 'The German Times' news clipping reporting the deplaning of Bhagwat Mann for being drunk is a satirical one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 21, 2022
A screenshot of a purported news article published by ‘The German Times’ is being shared on social media claiming that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann was deplaned from Lufthansa’s Frankfort-Delhi flight for being in an inebriated condition. This post claims that Bhagwat Mann was deplaned from the aircraft for being drunk at the Frankfurt airport and alleges that the Lufthansa flight was delayed by over four hours as the luggage of the CM’s entourage which was loaded onto the plane had to be removed. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
The archived version of the post can be seen here.
Claim: ‘The German Times’ article reported the news of Punjab CM Bhagwat Mann’s deplaning from Lufthansa’s Frankfort-Delhi flight for being drunk.
Fact: The purported news clipping is a satirical article created by a satire and meme creator named ‘@BeingBHK’. Bhagwat Mann did reschedule his return journey to Delhi at the last minute at the Frankfurt airport on 18 September 2022. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders stated Bhagwat Mann being unwell as the reason for the rescheduling, a few anonymous eyewitnesses reportedly told certain media houses that a person resembling Bhagwat Mann was made to disembark from the Lufthansa’s aircraft. Lufthansa through a tweet stated that the delayed inbound flight and an aircraft change are the reasons for the delay of their Frankfurt-Delhi flight. Though we could not ascertain the exact reasons for Bhagwat Mann’s rescheduling of this return from Germany, it can be confirmed that the news clipping shared in the post is a satire and was not published by ‘The German Times’. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched to check whether ‘The German Times’ had published any such news article, we could not find any such article on the official website of ‘The German Times’. On observing the purported new clipping carefully, one could see a description below Bhagwat Mann’s photo stating, “This article for satire @BeingBHK”. On searching for further sources, we found a Twitter handle with the same username (@BeingBHK), describing itself as a meme, cartoon, and satire creator in the bio section. ‘@BeingBHK’ had shared this news clipping on his Twitter handle too.
When we searched for further details, we found out that the news clipping was created referring word by word to an article published by the ‘Indian Narrative’ website. The ‘Indian Narrative’ article reported that Bhagwat Mann was deplaned from a Delhi-bound Lufthansa flight at the Frankfurt airport. An Indian co-passenger on the same flight reportedly told  ‘The Indian Narrative’ that, “Bhagwat Mann was not steady on his feet as he had imbibed excessive alcohol and had to be supported by his wife and security personnel accompanying him”.
Speaking about these allegations to ‘The Hindu’, Chander Suta Dogra, the AAP’s director of media communication, said: “Mr. Mann was a little unwell and he would catch a flight later tonight from Frankfurt and would be back”. However, an eyewitness who boarded the same flight told ‘The Hindu’: “A person donning a white kurta-pyjama and resembling Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann entered the aircraft along with other passengers… after some time four or five of them left the aircraft”.
Responding to the queries regarding the deplaning of Bhagwat Mann, Lufthansa through a tweet stated, “Our flight from Frankfurt to Delhi departed later than originally planned due to a delayed inbound flight and an aircraft change. Best regards”. Lufthansa did not issue any statement confirming Bhagwat Mann being in an inebriated condition. Sharing a screenshot of Lufthansa’s tweet, Malvinder Singh Kang, the Chief Spokesperson of AAP Punjab, ridiculed the allegations of Mann being drunk.
Our flight from Frankfurt to Delhi departed later than originally planned due to a delayed inbound flight and an aircraft change. Best regards
However, the Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia ordered a probe and sought a detailed report on the alleged deplaning of Bhagwat Mann at the Frankfurt airport. Though we could not ascertain the exact reasons for Bhagwat Mann rescheduling his return trip from Germany, it can be confirmed that the news clipping shared in the post is a satirical article.
To sum it up, this purported ‘The German Times’ news clipping reporting the deplaning of Bhagwat Mann for being drunk at the Frankfurt airport is a satirical one.

created: September 21, 2022