Recently, two of the three accused in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) gang rape case, who were affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell, were granted bail. An image has emerged online showing people celebrating by cutting a cake and applying it to each other’s faces, with claims that it depicts a celebration for the accused, Kunal Pandey and Anand Chauhan, following their bail. However, D-Intent Data has verified that this image actually dates back to July 2021.
The old image circulated with misleading claims about BHU gangrape accused
Several users, influencers, propagandists and political workers have shared the image and made false claims.
Sharing the image on X (Formerly Twitter), @PC70001010 wrote. “Two accused of gangraping a B.Tech second-year student of IIT-BHU, Banaras, got bail in just seven months despite being charged with very serious sections. The accused were welcomed on their return home. BJP officials smearing cake on the faces of Kunal Pandey and Anand alias Abhishek Chauhan. Happiness on their faces.”. Later, he deleted the post.
Propagandist account @nehafolksinger has also shared the image and wrote, “The accused of BHU gang rape have come out on bail. They were welcomed by cutting a cake. They have a culture here. And you..! Save your daughter!”
Several other users, influencers and propagandists have also shared the image and made similar claims. Their posts can be seen here, @_sayema, MediaCellSP, NehaYadavBHU, @avidandiya, @TheGuyUnreal, Zakir Ali Tyagi.
The truth about the viral image of BHU gangrape accused, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the image and claims came to our notice, we conducted research and analysis of the image and found that the image was not recent but an old image from July 2021.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search on Google Lens. This led us to several posts on different social media platforms (Facebook, X) uploaded in July 2021. Similar images were posted by Saurabh Srivastava on his Facebook and Twitter accounts during the birthday celebrations of Madhukar Chitransh and Saksham Singh Patel. We also found the same image uploaded by Saksham Singh Patel on his Facebook account in July 2021.
Moreover, According to reports, Saksham Singh Patel has not yet been granted bail; his bail hearing is scheduled for September 16, 2024.
Therefore, it is evident from D-Intent Data’s Fact Check that the viral image was not recent but an old image from 2021 and falsely shared with misleading claims.
Intent
Social media users, influencers and propagandists are circulating old images with misleading claims to set their narrative.
Conclusion
Claim– IIT BHU rape accused were welcomed by cutting cakes, following their bail.
Fact– The viral image was not recent but an old image from July 2021.
Related Article: Fact Check: Ayodhya rape case accused is not from the Hindu community, as claimed by users – D-Intent Data (dintentdata.com)
