Chandigarh: Ludhiana police commissioner Swapn Sharma has said he has nothing to hide after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned him in connection with an alleged conspiracy to prepare fabricated forensic and cyber analysis reports concerning a viral video linked to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
Sharma, an IPS officer, said he had travelled to Gurugram as part of his official duties to investigate a major cybercrime case spanning northern India.
“I have nothing to hide,” Sharma said while responding to the summons and allegations against him.
A senior police officer in Chandigarh questioned the ED’s approach, suggesting that the agency appeared to have linked two separate cases to summon the IPS officer. The officer said this did not appear appropriate.
The ED has asked Sharma to appear in person at its Chandigarh office on October 19, 2026. The summons relate to allegations that fabricated forensic and cyber reports were prepared to portray a controversial video involving Mann as artificially generated using artificial intelligence.
Background to the viral video
The controversy began in June when a video circulated on social media that allegedly showed Mann disrespecting images of Sikh gurus. Following the uproar, the chief minister appeared before the Akal Takht and maintained that he was not the person shown in the clip, claiming it had been generated using AI.
Gurugram Police subsequently arrested Arun Mahendru, 25, and Ankit, 25, over an alleged conspiracy to prepare fake forensic and cyber analysis reports in the matter.
The controversy intensified after another video surfaced that reportedly showed Sharma sitting with two men in Gurugram. Opposition leaders subsequently alleged that an arrangement had been made to produce fabricated reports.
The ED’s action is linked to the FIR registered by Gurugram Police and the arrests in the alleged fake-report case. The allegations against Sharma remain under investigation, and no finding of guilt has been established.
