#FactCheck - False Claim of Hindu Sadhvi Marrying Muslim Man Debunked

Research Wing

Innovation and Research

PUBLISHED ON

Jul 2, 2024

Executive Summary:

A viral image circulating on social media claims to show a Hindu Sadhvi marrying a Muslim man; however, this claim is false. A thorough investigation by the Cyberpeace Research team found that the image has been digitally manipulated. The original photo, which was posted by Balmukund Acharya, a BJP MLA from Jaipur, on his official Facebook account in December 2023, he was posing with a Muslim man in his election office. The man wearing the Muslim skullcap is featured in several other photos on Acharya's Instagram account, where he expressed gratitude for the support from the Muslim community. Thus, the claimed image of a marriage between a Hindu Sadhvi and a Muslim man is digitally altered.

Claims:

An image circulating on social media claims to show a Hindu Sadhvi marrying a Muslim man.

‍

Fact Check:

Upon receiving the posts, we reverse searched the image to find any credible sources. We found a photo posted by Balmukund Acharya Hathoj Dham on his facebook page on 6 December 2023.

This photo is digitally altered and posted on social media to mislead. We also found several different photos with the skullcap man where he was featured.

‍

We also checked for any AI fabrication in the viral image. We checked using a detection tool named, “content@scale” AI Image detection. This tool found the image to be 95% AI Manipulated.

‍

We also checked with another detection tool for further validation named, “isitai” image detection tool. It found the image to be 38.50% of AI content, which concludes to the fact that the image is manipulated and doesn’t support the claim made. Hence, the viral image is fake and misleading.

Conclusion:

The lack of credible source and the detection of AI manipulation in the image explains that the viral image claiming to show a Hindu Sadhvi marrying a Muslim man is false. It has been digitally altered. The original image features BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya posing with a Muslim man, and there is no evidence of the claimed marriage.

Claim: An image circulating on social media claims to show a Hindu Sadhvi marrying a Muslim man.
Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter)
Fact Check: Fake & Misleading

PUBLISHED ON

Jul 2, 2024

Related Blogs

No Gaming or Social Media during Work Hours Kerala HC to ban employees from using their phones for non-official purposes during working hours

January 2, 2025

Introduction

The Kerala High Court banned the use of mobile phones during office hours on the 2nd of December 2024, and issued an Official Memorandum titled, ‘Indulgence In Online Gaming And Watching Social Media Content During Office Hours’. This memorandum, issued by the Registrar General, prohibits mobile phone usage for personal activities such as gaming and social media during working hours. This memorandum aims to curb the productivity woes and reinforce professional discipline and further ensure the smooth functioning of the office operations.

The memorandum reiterated its earlier notices from 2009 and 2013, where the High Court had emphasised that violations would be taken seriously. This reflects the High Court’s commitment to maintaining efficiency and professionalism in the workplace. According to the memorandum, controlling officers will monitor the staff for violations and strict actions will be taken if the rules are flouted.

Background

The circumstances that led to the Kerala HC’s decision are as follows: staff engaged in playing online games, browsing social media, watching videos or movies and even engaging in online shopping or trading during work hours, excluding the allocated lunch recess (as per the memorandum).

As mentioned earlier, this memorandum is not the first of its kind. There were similar directives that were issued in 2009 and 2013 to target the poor productivity standards, rooted in the staff members' behaviours. The present memorandum is unlike the previously mentioned ones as, it specifically addresses the rise in mobile-based distractions, like online gaming and trading. The present directive does not outline any exceptions to senior officials with designated responsibilities, and emphasises universal adherence for all levels of the workforce.

According to Cell Phones at Workplace Statistics, around 97% of workers use their smartphones during work hours, mixing personal and job-related activities. And more than 55% of managers say that cell phones are a major reason for lower productivity among employees.

Therefore, it can be safely concluded that even though smartphones have become indispensable tools for communication, their misuse has wider implications for overall organisational productivity.

CyberPeace Outlook

The Kerala High Court's decision to restrict personal mobile phone usage during work hours underscores the importance of fostering a disciplined and focused workplace environment. While smartphones are vital for communication, their misuse poses significant productivity challenges. Some proactive steps that employers can take are implementing clear policies, conducting regular training sessions and promoting a culture of accountability. Balancing digital freedom and professional responsibility is the key to ensuring that technological tools serve as enablers of efficiency rather than distractions in the workplace.

References

Attack on Chrome Browser Extensions and Prevention Practices

January 23, 2025

Starting in mid-December, 2024, a series of attacks have targeted Chrome browser extensions. A data protection company called Cyberhaven, California, fell victim to one of these attacks. Though identified in the U.S., the geographical extent and potential of the attack are yet to be determined. Assessment of these cases can help us to be better prepared for such instances if they occur in the near future.

The Attack

Browser extensions are small software applications that add and enable functionality or a capacity (feature) to a web browser. These are written in CSS, HTML, or JavaScript and like other software, can be coded to deliver malware. Also known as plug-ins, they have access to their own set of Application Programming Interface (APIs). They can also be used to remove unwanted elements as per customisation, such as pop-up advertisements and auto-play videos, when one lands on a website. Some examples of browser extensions include Ad-blockers (for blocking ads and content filtering) and StayFocusd (which limits the time of the users on a particular website).

In the aforementioned attack, the publisher of the browser at Cyberhaven received a phishing mail from an attacker posing to be from the Google Chrome Web Store Developer Support. It mentioned that their browser policies were not compatible and encouraged the user to click on the “Go to Policy”action item, which led the user to a page that enabled permissions for a malicious OAuth called Privacy Policy Extension (Open Authorisation is an adopted standard that is used to authorise secure access for temporary tokens). Once the permission was granted, the attacker was able to inject malicious code into the target’s Chrome browser extension and steal user access tokens and session cookies. Further investigation revealed that logins of certain AI and social media platforms were targeted.

CyberPeace Recommendations

As attacks of such range continue to occur, it is encouraged that companies and developers take active measures that would make their browser extensions less susceptible to such attacks. Google also has a few guidelines on how developers can safeguard their extensions from their end. These include:

Minimal Permissions For Extensions- It is encouraged that minimal permissions for extensions barring the required APIs and websites that it depends on are acquired as limiting extension privileges limits the surface area an attacker can exploit.
Prioritising Protection Of Developer Accounts- A security breach on this end could lead to compromising all users' data as this would allow attackers to mess with extensions via their malicious codes. A 2FA (2-factor authentication) by setting a security key is endorsed.
HTTPS over HTTP- HTTPS should be preferred over HTTP as it requires a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/ transport layer security(TLS) certificate from an independent certificate authority (CA). This creates an encrypted connection between the server and the web browser.

Lastly, as was done in the case of the attack at Cyberhaven, it is encouraged to promote the practice of transparency when such incidents take place to better deal with them.

References

At the CrossRoads: The RMG Ban & the Global Landscape

September 4, 2025

‍Introduction

The enactment of the Online Gaming (Promotion and Regulation) Act, 2025 has a significant impact, resulting in considerable changes to the structure of the Indian gaming industry. The ban on Real-Money Games (RMG), including fantasy sports, rummy, and poker, aims to curb addiction, illegal betting and most importantly, financial exploitation.

However, this decision sent ripples throughout the industry, resulting in players, companies and their investors re-strategising their plans to move forward. This approach, however, is a sharp contrast to how other nations, including the UK, Singapore and others, regulate online gaming. This, as a result, has also raised doubts about the ban and calls into question whether this is the right move.

‍

Industry in Flux - The resultant Fallout

‍

MPL’s Layoffs: The Mobile Premiere League has so far laid off nearly 60 per cent of its workforce, with the CEO of the company openly admitting that the company is no longer able to make money in India.
Dream11’s Lost Revenue: Having seen a position of being a market leader, the company has now witnessed its 95 per cent revenue wiped out, resulting in raised alarms among investors.
A23’s Legal Move: The company chose to move the Karnataka High Court under the argument that the ban also ends up unfairly criminalising skill-based games that were earlier classified differently from gambling by the courts.

‍

The new face of eSports: With RMGs outlawed, the focus is now on esports, including casual mobile gaming, console/PC gaming, and creating new opportunities and also leaving a void for RMG revenue companies.

‍

Regulations Around the World - & India

‍

India has adopted a prohibition model, whereas many other countries have developed regulatory frameworks that allow sectoral expansion under monitoring.

‍

United Kingdom:

Online gaming is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
RMGs are legal but subject to strict licensing, age verification and advertising rules.
Self-exclusion schemes are a must, offered by operators along with tools to prevent gambling addictions.

‍

United States

State-driven regulations that vary from state to state.
States including Nevada and New Jersey allow casinos both online and offline, while other states prohibit them completely.
Regulation for skill-based fantasy games is fragmented but generally legal.

‍

China

Great focus on controlling and restricting gaming addictions among minors.
Time limits are enforced for players under 18 (usually as little as 3 hours per week).
Gambling has been deemed illegal; however, esports and casual gaming operate within China’s regulated gaming ecosystem, subject to certain compliance.

‍

Singapore

The Remote Gambling Act regulates chance-based games, while other eSports and skill-based games operate out of its jurisdiction and are regulated separately.
Online gambling isn't completely banned, but is operated under restrictions.
Only Licensed operators under strict controls are allowed by the government to operate to avoid and prevent black-market alternatives.

‍

Australia

Regulates under the Interactive Gambling Act.
Sports betting and certain licensed operators are allowed, while most of the other online gambling services are prohibited.
Restrictions on advertising and real-time interventions allow emphasis on harm minimisation.

‍

India’s Approach - Comparison

The Online Gaming (Promotion and Regulation) Act, 2025 introduces a prohibition model for real money games. This differs from jurisdictions such as the UK and US, which have implemented regulatory frameworks to oversee the sector. In India, earlier legal interpretations distinguished between games of skill and games of chance. The new legislation provides a single treatment for both categories, which marks a departure from previous judicial pronouncements.

‍

Conclusion

At present, India’s gaming sector is navigating layoffs, court cases, and a pivot towards esports post the RMG ban. Keeping in mind that the intent of said ban is the protection of citizens, the industry also argues that regulation, instead of prohibition, offers a sustainable approach to the issues. On the other hand, on the global scale, most nations prefer controlled and licensed models that ensure consumer safety and work on preserving both jobs and revenues. However, India’s step is diverging from such a model. The lack of safeguards and engagement in the real money gaming industry led to a prohibition model, underscoring that in sensitive digital sectors, early regulatory alignment is essential.

‍

References

‍

#FactCheck - False Claim of Hindu Sadhvi Marrying Muslim Man Debunked

Executive Summary:

Claims:

Fact Check:

Conclusion:

Related Blogs

The Attack

CyberPeace Recommendations

References

‍Introduction

Industry in Flux - The resultant Fallout

Regulations Around the World - & India

India’s Approach - Comparison

Conclusion

References

Become a part of our vision to make the digital world safe for all!

Awareness

Engagement

Play your part for CyberPeace