Sonam Wangchuk and Upendra Dwivedi (Images/Agencies)
NEW DELHI: The Press Information Bureau’s fact-check unit on Thursday debunked a fake video of Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, calling it an AI-generated clip that falsely claimed he had issued a statement about the alleged custodial death of detained Ladakh climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.In a post on X, PIB wrote: “#Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally altered video of Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, in which he appears to be talking about the custodial death of Sonam Wangchuk. This #fake video has been created using #AI technology. The Chief of the Army Staff has made NO such statement.” The fact-checking agency further emphasised that the Army chief has made no such remarks and urged citizens not to share unverified content intended to spread misinformation and undermine faith in the Indian Armed Forces.
According to the fake post shared by the Pakistan-based account, it read: “Following the custodial death of Sonam Wangchuk, Indian Army chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi offered condolences, now being suppressed by media. Even the Army seems exhausted by Hindutva fascists forcing their own agenda.” In the fabricated clip, General Dwivedi could be heard saying: “I express my deep regret at the passing of Sonam Wangchuk while he was in state custody. His death has caused understandable concern among citizens across Ladakh and the rest of the country. As Chief of General Staff, I extend my condolences to his family and to all who knew him. Every life lost under detention demands clarity and accountability. I have requested the central government to conduct a thorough and transparent inquiry. All facts must be verified so that confidence in our institutions remains intact. May his family find strength during this difficult time.”However, PIB confirmed that the original speech was completely unrelated. The authentic video was posted by news agency PTI on the same day and showed General Dwivedi addressing the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025.In the original video, Dwivedi stated: “The military is shedding inhibitions, opening ranges, funding startups, and joining national technology missions to strengthen this troika transformation even further.” The PIB warned that such content is created to intentionally spread false narratives and urged social media users to rely only on official and credible sources for accurate information.”Stay cautious. Do not share or engage with unverified content. Rely only on official and credible sources for accurate information,” PIB further wrote in its post. Wangchuk was detained on September 26, two days after violent protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh that left four people dead and over 90 injured.Authorities have accused him of inciting the unrest. He was shifted to a jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and booked under the National Security Act (NSA), which allows preventive detention for up to 12 months in cases deemed a threat to national security.On November 23, the Leh Apex Body (LAB), a group leading the agitation submitted a draft proposal to the home ministry, calling a “general amnesty” for Wangchuk and others detained over the September 24 violence a key condition for continued talks with the Centre.The document argued that releasing detainees would help “restore peace and build confidence” in Ladakh.