A video showing bundles of notes inside a room has been widely circulated on social media and falsely linked to the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. The video has been shared alleging that the Maharashtra government misused money to influence the election. However, D-Intent Data has discovered that the viral video was not recent but an old video that has been available online for at least 2021 and is unrelated to the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections.
Sharing the video on X (Formerly Twitter) NCP(SP) leader Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks )said. It is said that 25-25 crores have been given to the candidates of the ruling party as the first installment for the election and yesterday one of these vehicles was caught in the hilly forest of Khed-Shivapur. Found one car but where are four more cars?
News24 also shared the video and wrote, Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar faction leader Rohit Pawar tweeted a video of money. Rohit said, “There is talk of giving Rs 25 crore each to the ruling party candidates as the first installment of the election”. Rohit: “One of these vehicles was caught yesterday in Parbat Jhadi (MLA Shahaji Patil) of Khed Shivapur, where are the remaining 4 vehicles”. Later, they deleted the post.
Several other users, influencers and political workers have also shared the video and made similar claims. Their posts can be seen here, @DrLaxman_Yadav, @moliticsindia, @AAPkaRamGupta, @drshamamohd, @ssrajputINC
This is an old video, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the video and claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis of the video and found that the video was not recent. But an old video and has been available online at least since 2021.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search of some key frames from the viral video on Google Lens. This led us to a YouTube video containing the same visuals uploaded in September 2021. There were no details mentioned about the video. We also found the same video on Facebook uploaded in June 2021.
However, according to reports (1, 2) The Pune rural police on Monday night seized unaccounted cash worth Rs 5 crore from a car at Khed Shivapur toll plaza. But the viral video was old and unrelated to the recent incident.
Therefore, it is evident from D-Intent Data’s fact check that the viral video was not recent. But an old video that has been available online at least since June 2021. It is unrelated to any recent incident.
Intent
Influencers, political workers and media outlets are circulating old videos with misleading claims to set their narrative to influence the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024.
Conclusion
Claim– The video depicting bundles of currency notes is related to the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024.
Fact– The video is not recent but an old video that has been available online at least since June 2021.
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