Rijiju blasts Prashant Bhushan over doctored Lavrov video, calls it conspiracy
Synopsis
A doctored video of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — debunked by both India's MEA and the Russian Embassy — has led to an FIR against Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju calling the spread of the clip a deliberate 'conspiracy to destroy India's image'. The case marks a rare instance of a sitting minister publicly framing a legal professional's social media activity as anti-national disinformation.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police registered FIR No.
263/26 against Prashant Bhushan over the alleged circulation of a doctored video of Sergey Lavrov .
The FIR was filed at the Special Cell police station under BNS Sections 336(4), 353(1)(c), 356, 340(2) and Section 66C of the IT Act .
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju called the act a 'conspiracy to destroy India's image and constitutional institutions' .
Both the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Russian Embassy confirmed the video was entirely fabricated .
The case came to light on 3 November 2026 during Delhi Police cyber patrolling, tracing the post to handle @thequotesnews .
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, sharply criticised senior Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan over the alleged circulation of a doctored video of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, calling the act part of a 'conspiracy to destroy India's image'. The remarks came on the same day Delhi Police registered an FIR against Bhushan in connection with the purportedly manipulated clip.
The Doctored Video and What It Allegedly Showed
The video in question purportedly showed Sergey Lavrov making remarks hostile to India — including alleged criticism of India's internal affairs and its oil purchases from Russia. The clip was shared from Bhushan's social media handle @pbhushan1, according to Delhi Police. Both the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Russian Embassy swiftly denied the authenticity of the video, with the MEA's Official FactCheck account labelling it 'fake' and posting on X: 'Fake Alert!!! The video of the Russian Foreign Minister being used in this post is fake!'
Rijiju's Attack on Bhushan
Taking to X, Rijiju launched a pointed attack on Bhushan, drawing parallels with an earlier controversy. 'Earlier also, this Prashant Bhushan had circulated a fake news that Judges and Ministers went to London to play Badminton! And he even didn't apologise for it. It's part of the conspiracy to destroy India's image and constitutional institutions of India,' Rijiju wrote. The minister's remarks signal the Centre's intent to frame the incident not merely as individual misconduct but as a broader pattern of disinformation targeting national institutions.
Delhi Police FIR: The Legal Sections Invoked
Delhi Police stated that the matter came to light on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, during routine cyber patrolling, when officials noticed a social media post from handle @thequotesnews alleging that the doctored video had been shared from Bhushan's account. A case was subsequently registered as FIR No. 263/26 at the Special Cell police station. The FIR invokes Sections 336(4), 353(1)(c), 356, and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 66C of the Information Technology Act — provisions related to disseminating misleading, defamatory, and inflammatory content intended to incite public disturbance and spread rumours.
India-Russia Diplomatic Dimension
The MEA's fact-check unit had already debunked the video before the FIR was filed, confirming the clip was 'entirely fabricated'. The Russian Embassy's prompt denial underscored the sensitivity of the matter — a fabricated statement from Moscow's top diplomat, if left unaddressed, could have stoked confusion about the state of India-Russia ties. This comes amid heightened global scrutiny over AI-generated misinformation and its potential to distort diplomatic narratives. Both Indian and Russian authorities have separately flagged the growing challenge of deepfakes in international discourse.
What Happens Next
With an FIR now on record, investigators at the Special Cell are expected to examine the digital trail behind the video's creation and circulation. Bhushan has not issued a public response to the FIR as of the time of this report. The case is likely to intensify the ongoing political debate around disinformation accountability, particularly when it involves prominent legal or public figures. Observers note this is at least the second time Bhushan has faced accusations of sharing unverified content — a pattern critics argue warrants stronger scrutiny.
Point of View
Particularly when it touches India's foreign relationships. What is striking is that Rijiju's public broadside elevates this from a cyber-crime matter to an explicitly political charge. The invocation of Bhushan's earlier 'Badminton' controversy is a telling move: it frames today's incident not as an isolated lapse but as a character pattern, hardening the political optics. Critics, however, may argue that deploying Special Cell provisions — typically reserved for serious security threats — against a social media share risks conflating disinformation with sedition-adjacent charges, a precedent with implications for press freedom and civil society.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was an FIR filed against Prashant Bhushan?
Delhi Police filed FIR No. 263/26 against Prashant Bhushan after a doctored video purportedly showing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov making remarks hostile to India was allegedly shared from Bhushan's social media handle. The video was debunked as fabricated by both the MEA and the Russian Embassy.
What are the legal sections invoked in the FIR against Prashant Bhushan?
The FIR invokes Sections 336(4), 353(1)(c), 356, and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 66C of the Information Technology Act — covering dissemination of misleading, defamatory, and inflammatory content intended to incite public disturbance.
What did the doctored Sergey Lavrov video show?
The fabricated video purportedly showed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticising India over its internal affairs and oil purchases. Both India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Russian Embassy confirmed the video was entirely fake, with the MEA's Official FactCheck account posting a 'Fake Alert' on X.
What did Kiren Rijiju say about Prashant Bhushan?
In a post on X, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the circulation of the fake video was 'part of the conspiracy to destroy India's image and constitutional institutions of India.' He also referenced a previous incident where Bhushan allegedly spread false information about judges and ministers travelling to London.
How was the doctored Lavrov video detected?
Delhi Police discovered the video during routine cyber patrolling on 3 November 2026, when they noticed a post from social media handle @thequotesnews claiming the manipulated video had been shared from Prashant Bhushan's account @pbhushan1. The case was registered the following day at the Special Cell police station.
