Representative image. Sidheeq, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
The case is about sharing a clip, not making it: the police acted against the account that reposted it. For readers who repost political videos, the MEA and the Russian embassy had both flagged this one publicly before the FIR.
The Delhi Police has registered a case against senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan over a video of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Russian embassy have called fake. The Prashant Bhushan FIR, No. 263/26, was registered at the Special Cell police station, the police said in a post on X that Hindustan Times and ANI quoted on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
An FIR, or first information report, is the document that starts a police investigation. It records an allegation. It is not a charge sheet or a conviction, and the Prashant Bhushan FIR does not establish that he committed any offence.
What the Delhi Police post says about the case
According to the police post, as quoted by Hindustan Times, the matter came to notice “during cyber patrolling” on 3 November 2026. Officers saw a post by the X handle @thequotesnews claiming that “a purported doctored video of the Russian Foreign Minister, hostile to India” had been shared from Bhushan’s handle, @pbhushan1.
The police wrote that “there is an allegation of disseminating misleading, defamatory, and inflammatory content to incite public disturbance and spread rumours.” The case was registered under Sections 336(4), 353(1)(c), 356 and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), India’s main criminal code, and Section 66C of the Information Technology Act.
The police post did not name a private complainant. The case began, the police said, from their own monitoring of social media. Indian Express quoted an officer saying the case was registered with the New Delhi range of the Special Cell. Scroll reported that the Delhi Police Special Cell did not say whether other accounts that shared the same video were also booked.
What the Lavrov fake video showed and who called it fake
In the Lavrov fake video, the minister appears to say that India is only a trading partner for Russia and that this commercial relationship does not give India the right to advise Moscow on its foreign policy. Indian Express and Scroll reported that it also showed him saying India was neither Russia’s ally nor a superpower. Times of India and Hindustan Times said it showed him criticising India’s internal affairs and its purchases of Russian oil.
The MEA’s fact check unit posted on X on Tuesday, 3 November: “Fake Alert!!! The video of the Russian Foreign Minister being used in this post is fake!” ANI (Asian News International, a news agency) reported. The Russian embassy in New Delhi also rejected the remarks attributed to Lavrov and said the video was fabricated, according to Scroll and ANI. Times of India reported that the MEA’s clarification followed the embassy’s denial. Scroll reported that the police described the clip as manipulated using artificial intelligence.
The clip began circulating after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Lavrov on 31 October in Atlanta, in the United States, on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting. Jaishankar posted after that meeting that the two had discussed “the Ukraine conflict, Gulf situation and multilateral issues”, Indian Express reported. Times of India reported that MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told the ministry’s press briefing that Jaishankar held several bilateral meetings at the G20, including one with Lavrov.
What Bhushan posted, and his side so far
Bhushan shared the clip on X with a comment calling it “a tight slap” by the Russian foreign minister on India, and asked what kind of advice Jaishankar had been giving, Scroll and Times of India reported. Scroll said the original video was first posted by another account and that Bhushan has since deleted his post.
None of the reports NewsPlainly read (Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Scroll, Times of India, Deccan Herald, Dainik Jagran and the ANI report carried by ThePrint, all checked by 1.40 pm IST on 4 November) carried a statement from Bhushan on the FIR. They also did not report any arrest or notice to him.
The Prashant Bhushan FIR sections in plain words
The five provisions in the FIR are each an allegation the police will now investigate. The short descriptions below follow the labels given in reports by Deccan Herald, Scroll and ThePrint:
| Provision | Label in reports | What it is about, in plain words |
|---|---|---|
| BNS 336(4) | Forgery | Making a false document or electronic record, here linked to harming someone’s reputation |
| BNS 353(1)(c) | Statements conducing to public mischief | Spreading statements or reports that could provoke public disorder |
| BNS 356 | Defamation | Harming a person’s reputation through false words or images |
| BNS 340(2) | Using a forged document as genuine | Passing off a forged document or electronic record as real |
| IT Act 66C | Identity theft | Dishonestly using another person’s identity feature online |
In all, the Delhi Police Special Cell listed four BNS provisions and one IT Act provision in the Prashant Bhushan FIR. Which of these provisions, if any, applies to a person who shares a clip made by someone else is a question for the investigation and, if a charge sheet is filed, for a court. The police post quoted in reports did not say who made the video.
Timeline: from the G20 meeting to the FIR
- 30 to 31 October 2026: G20 foreign ministers meet in Atlanta. Jaishankar meets Lavrov on 31 October.
- By 3 November: Another X account posts the clip; Bhushan shares it with his comment.
- 3 November: The MEA fact check unit calls the video fake, after a denial by the Russian embassy, Times of India reported. Delhi Police say the post came to their notice during cyber patrolling that day.
- 4 November, morning: Delhi Police’s post on FIR No. 263/26 is reported by Dainik Jagran and Hindustan Times, and later by Indian Express, Scroll and others. Scroll reports that Bhushan has deleted his post.
The MEA fact check unit also flagged a separate fake post on 3 November, Hindustan Times reported. That one wrongly put words in Jaishankar’s mouth about Lavrov’s reaction to his peace appeal. Both fakes were flagged within days of the G20 meeting.
The next step is the Special Cell’s investigation into the Lavrov fake video and how it spread. More national stories are in NewsPlainly’s India section.
Frequently asked questions
Why was an FIR filed against Prashant Bhushan?
Delhi Police said a doctored video of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was shared from his X handle, and alleged it spread misleading, defamatory and inflammatory content. The FIR is an allegation under investigation.
Who said the Lavrov video was fake?
The Ministry of External Affairs fact check unit posted on 3 November that the video was fake, and the Russian embassy in New Delhi also said it was fabricated.
Under which sections is the case registered?
BNS Sections 336(4), 353(1)(c), 356 and 340(2), covering forgery, public mischief statements, defamation and using a forged record as genuine, plus Section 66C of the IT Act on identity theft.
Has Prashant Bhushan responded?
The reports NewsPlainly read by 1.40 pm IST on 4 November did not carry a statement from him. Scroll reported that he deleted the post.