India
-Oneindia Staff
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has claimed that a controversial video being circulated against him was fabricated using a face mask, turning the row into a fresh political flashpoint in the state. Addressing a press conference in Mohali, Mann said the clip was part of a planned attempt to damage him politically and religiously.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claims a controversial video targeting him was fabricated using a face mask by Canada-based Jagman Samra, calling it a political and religious conspiracy by rival parties including Congress, SAD, and BJP.
The Chief Minister alleged that a person named Jagman Samra, whom he described as a blackmailer based in Canada, had used a mask resembling him to create the video. Mann said the footage being used by rival parties was not genuine and challenged opponents to get it examined by any agency of their choice.
Bhagwant Mann says fake video used mask to mimic him
Mann said the person seen in the disputed video did not match his physical appearance. He pointed to what he called visible signs of masking, including a line near the neck, the shape of the ears and the use of dark glasses. He also said an operation scar on his neck, which he has had since childhood, was missing in the video.
According to Mann, another video circulating on social media allegedly shows the mask being handled after delivery in a car. He claimed Samra had demonstrated how the mask could be worn and used to imitate a face. Mann said this showed the video was staged, not recorded naturally.
The Chief Minister also linked the row to religious and political pressure. He said a fake video had been repeatedly played to seek political benefit and to portray him negatively before Sikh institutions and the public. Mann said he respected the supremacy of Akal Takht Sahib and would appear again if called.
“I do not have the stature to challenge the supremacy of Akal Takht Sahib,” Mann said, adding that he had gone there earlier as a humble Sikh. He said his objection was not to the institution, but to what he described as the political misuse of religion by rival parties.
AAP attacks opposition over Bhagwant Mann video row
Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also reacted strongly after Mann’s press conference. In a post on X, Kejriwal said the truth of the alleged fake video had come out and accused opposition parties of trying to exploit the controversy. He claimed Punjab’s people would not forgive such conduct.
Mann named the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party while accusing them of forming a joint front against him. He said these parties could not confront his government on issues such as water, power, employment, roads and village development, so they were trying to shift attention elsewhere.
The Chief Minister also questioned why boycott notices were being discussed in his case, while similar treatment was not given to others in earlier religious and political controversies. He referred to past events linked to Punjab’s politics and Sikh institutions, though several of his remarks remain political allegations against rival parties.
Mann said his government had taken decisions that, according to him, reflected respect for Punjab’s religious and social concerns. He cited legislation on sacrilege, tax relief for vehicles linked to religious processions, a special Assembly session at Sri Anandpur Sahib and holy city status for three towns.
Who is Jagman Samra, according to Mann?
Mann said Jagman Samra had met him once during the time of the People’s Party of Punjab, but denied any friendship or financial link with him. He alleged that Samra had fled from Faridkot jail, reached Canada through Nepal and was involved in blackmailing activities.
The Chief Minister further claimed that Samra had created other personal videos in the same setting to show him in a damaging light. Mann said those clips would be sent to Akal Takht Sahib for examination. He also said an FIR had been registered in the matter.
Mann said the state would begin the process to bring Samra back through Interpol channels. He also alleged that the same person had tried to blackmail the son of a former Union agriculture minister during the farmers’ protest period. These claims have not yet been independently verified in public records.
The Chief Minister rejected allegations that a forensic report from Gurugram had been managed. He asked why his side would get an examination done in Gurugram, in BJP-ruled Haryana, if it wanted to influence the findings. He said opponents were now trying to discredit the laboratory report.
Mann also said he had not visited Canada after 2016. He argued that the hotel room seen in the video appeared to belong to a later period and questioned why religious images would be placed in such a setting. He said these details further supported his claim that the video was staged.
The controversy has now moved beyond the authenticity of one clip and entered Punjab’s larger political battlefield. Mann is framing it as a conspiracy involving fake visuals and religious targeting, while AAP is using the episode to attack its rivals. The next key test will be the formal investigation and any verifiable forensic findings placed in the public domain.
