An image featuring Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman alongside several officials, including Rajiv Kumar (circled), who served (May 2022 to 18 February 2025) as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, has been circulated on social media with claims that it is a recent photo amid the Union Budget 2025. However, this claim is misleading. The image is actually from February 2020, when Rajiv Kumar was serving as Finance Secretary.
Sharing the image on X (Formerly Twitter) @MahuaMoitraFans wrote, Guess this person standing with the Finance Minister. Hint: He is the Chief of an INDEPENDENT organisation.
Guess this person standing with the Finance Minister.
— Mahua Moitra Fans (@MahuaMoitraFans) February 1, 2025
Hint: He is Chief of an INDEPENDENT organisation. 🫢 pic.twitter.com/5YzCz1SUjL
Another account @051973L also shared the image and wrote, “Neutral” Chief Election Commissioner in the Finance Ministry. What a friendly atmosphere”.
वित्तमंत्रालय में "निष्पक्ष" मुख्य चुनाव आयुक्त 😊😊
— Dr. Laukie 🩺⛑️ (@051973L) February 1, 2025
कितना दोस्ताना माहौल है 🙈🤪 pic.twitter.com/X5BRf5fCBX
Several other users and Influencers have also disseminated the image and made similar claims. Their posts can be seen here: @Priyaa_Purohit, @Deb_livnletliv.
The truth behind the image of Rajiv Kumar, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the image and claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis of the image. We found that the image was not recent but old, from February 2020.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search using Google Lens. This led us to media reports containing the same image published in February 2020. According to media reports (1, 2, 3), the image was taken in February 2020, when Rajiv Kumar was the Finance Secretary.
Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the image was not recent but an old image from February 2020. At that time, Rajiv Kumar was Finance Secretary.
2914
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) February 1, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: An old image featuring Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman alongside several officials,including Rajiv Kumar (circled),who currently serves as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, has been circulated implying that it is a recent photo, (1/2) pic.twitter.com/rqOtmX1BYW
Intent
Political workers circulated old images with misleading claims to set their political narrative against the ECI to influence the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025.
Conclusion
Claim– The image of CEC Rajiv Kumar with Nirmala Sitharaman and other leaders was recent, from February 1, 2025.
Fact– The image was not recent but an old image from February 2020. At that time, Rajiv Kumar was Finance Secretary.
Related Article: Old Video Of Nirmala Sitharaman Resurfaced : Fact
