A Twitter post was shared claiming UPI payments like Google Pay, PhonePe and PayTM will attract 1.1 per cent tax from April 1. The PTI Fact Check Desk found the claim was misleading in its investigation since the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) stated that the “interchange fee of up to 1.1 per cent will be applicable on merchant UPI transactions only”.

A Twitter user posted a thread of tweets with several claims on the ‘global acceptance of the Indian Rupee’ and stated that as many as 30 countries are carrying out transactions in Rupee. The user attributed the statement to the New York Times. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the viral post was misleading and falsely attributed to the NYT.

A Twitter user shared a 28-second video clip showing a train passing through a railway bridge connecting two mountain areas, claiming it was a running train test video on the under-construction Chenab bridge of Jammu and Kashmir. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video shared in the tweet was of the Beipanjiang Railway Bridge in China. The social media post was shared with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a video clip which purportedly showed a woman beneficiary refusing to accept an LPG gas connection from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that a video dating back to 2016 was digitally altered to be played in reverse. The original video clearly showed the woman accepting and not returning or refusing to accept the LPG gas connection. The edited video was shared on social media with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a video of an Air Force veteran confronting US President Joe Biden over the latter’s support of the 2002 invasion of Iraq by the American forces. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video was from a Presidential election campaign event in 2020 and that Biden had not been elected as the US president yet. The video was shared on social media as recently with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a photo purportedly showing Russian President Vladimir Putin bowing to Chinese President Xi Jinping. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the image was fake, created using advanced artificial intelligence technology. It was shared in social media posts with false claims.

An Instagram user shared photos which purportedly showed former US President Donald Trump arrested and taken away by the police. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check found that the images were fake, created using AI-powered tools, and shared on social media with false claims.

Social media users shared two videos, claiming they were related to the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region on Mar 21, leading to tremors in parts of North India and Pakistan. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that both videos were old and unrelated to the Mar 21 earthquake in Afghanistan. The claim shared in the social media posts was false.

A Twitter user shared two photos of two men applying vermillion on a woman’s forehead, claiming they married the same woman. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the shared video clip was part of a scripted video, and the people in the video were actors. The photo was shared in social media posts with a false claim. As an actual incident, several news outlets also peddled the scripted video.

A Twitter user shared photos of a ‘mysterious red glow over the Atlantic Ocean, claiming a pilot clicked them in March 2023. The user also used the hashtag #earthquake in the post, suggesting that the rare occurrence was connected to the Mar 21 earthquake in Afghanistan. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the pictures dated back to July 2022 and were shared on social media as recent with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a video of a young couple kissing, purportedly, at a railway platform. It claimed it was a recent incident after being “inspired by Patna Junction” incident. The video emerged on social media after an incident where TV screens installed at platform number 10 at Patna railway station played a porn clip. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that a one-year-old video from Dombivli Railway Station in Mumbai was shared as recent on social media with a false claim.

Two videos were shared by social media users claiming both the video clips were related to the March 21 earthquake in Afghanistan. A 6.5-magnitude quake hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region on the evening of Mar 21, and strong tremors were felt across several parts of North India and neighbouring Pakistan. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that both the videos were old and unrelated to the Mar 21 earthquake in Afghanistan. The claims in social media posts sharing the videos were false.

A Twitter user shared four photos of collapsed buildings, claiming the destruction was caused by the 6.5 magnitude earthquake in SWAT and Gilgit Baltistan areas in Afghanistan. The user shared the photos in the tweet posted after Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region was hit by an earthquake late evening on March 21. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that all four photos shared in the tweet were old and unrelated to the March 21 earthquake. The claim in the social media post was false.

A screenshot of the world’s ‘20 deadliest terror groups of 2022’ was shared on social media in which the Communist Party of India (CPI) was placed the twelfth position. The Institute of Economics and Peace released the report on March 16, headquartered in Sydney. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the name of the CPI was mistakenly mentioned in the report instead of CPI (Maoist). The information with the correct name was later updated on the official website of IEP. The claim shared in the social media posts was misleading.

A photo of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi holding a trophy standing next to senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi was shared in a social media post, claiming he was honoured by the BJP leader recently. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the photo shared in social media posts was edited to convey a false claim. Owaisi received an award in the category of outstanding Parliamentarian of 2022 at an annual event organised on March 14 by a media house in New Delhi. Owaisi received the award from former President Ram Nath Kovind.

A Twitter user shared a photo of a helicopter in his post on the March 16 Army helicopter crash, indicating the same chopper crashed in Arunachal Pradesh. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the image shared in the tweet was old and unrelated to Thursday’s crash which killed both pilots. The social media post was shared with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a 33-second video from the popular TV animation show The Simpsons, claiming one of its episodes predicted the Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse in 1994. The Silicon Valley Bank collapsed unprecedently on March 10 this year, leading to the second-biggest bank failure in US history. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video clip was digitally altered and shared on social media with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a video of a woman occupying the driver’s seat of a public bus and refusing to vacate on the driver’s request. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was part of a comedy video and posted on social media with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a video of a group of men thrashing a person on the road, claiming the incident captured on camera was a case of ‘lynching’ of a Christian person by a ‘Hindu mob’. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found an old video of an incident in December 2022 when a Dalit youth was beaten allegedly by a group of upper caste men in Gujarat’s Vadodara. The old video was recently shared in social media posts with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a video of Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, with BJP MP Dr Harsh Vardhan, claiming the Imam joined the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that Bukhari shared the dais with the BJP MP at an event related to laying the foundation stone of a washroom in the mosque. The video was shared the social media post with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared four photos of gold jewellery, gold biscuits and cash, claiming they were the items recovered from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches at former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s residential properties on March 11 this year. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that two of the four photos shared in the social media post were old and unrelated to the ED searches conducted on March 11. The authenticity of the other two photos couldn’t be established as the ED didn’t release any pics in its press release on the ED searches conducted in the ‘land-for-jobs case’ on March 11. The claim shared in the social media post was misleading.

A Twitter user shared a photo of a man waving a gun from vehicle, claiming he was a supporter of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the image of a 2014 election rally led by Khan was digitally altered to add a gun in the man’s hand and shared in social media post with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a video of a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) misbehaving with a passenger with a claim that he was a Bihari migrant worker fleeing from Tamil Nadu. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the person in the video was not a migrant worker travelling from Tamil Nadu to Bihar, and the incident didn’t happen on a Tamil Nadu-bound train. The social media post was shared with a false claim.

A video of Elon Musk was shared in a Facebook reel, claiming the Twitter CEO endorsed ‘Shilajit’ – an alleged anti-ageing and revitalising remedy. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that it was an old video digitally altered with a cloned voice to make it appear that Musk endorsed the remedy. The claim in the Facebook post was false.

A black-and-white photo of a vintage bus was received on the PTI Fact Check WhatsApp number requesting to verify the claim that the image of an electric bus at a charging station was from the 1900s. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found it was a genuine photo from London. showed a bus charging station operated by the London Electrobus Company during that company's short existence between 1907 and 1909.

A Facebook user shared a post claiming former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan advised people to save money because the Indian economy would fall like Sri Lanka’s. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the former RBI governor never made any such statement comparing the Indian economy with Sri Lanka’s economy. The social media post was shared with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a video of Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla, claiming he talked about launching a ‘cancer vaccine’ in the ‘next few months’ at a price ranging between Rs 200 and Rs 400. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found it was an old and unrelated video from last year, in which Poonawalla spoke about the launch of India's first home-grown human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The HPV vaccine is aimed at preventing cervical cancer caused majorly by HPV. The vaccine would not cure any other type of cancer not caused by HPV. The video was shared with a misleading claim.

A Facebook user shared a video combining two separate clips - one of a purported CCTV footage in which a gang of men brutally attacked two men and the other video of a person thrashed by a group of men with sticks - claiming the clips were of Bihari migrants beaten up in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur and Coimbatore recently. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that both videos shared in the social media post were old and unrelated were not related to Tamil Nadu.

A Twitter user shared a video of a female foreign tourist narrating her ordeal of ‘being sexually assaulted’ by a group of men while celebrating Holi. The video was posted in a tweet two days after Holi, celebrated on March 8 this year, indicating that the incident happened recently. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the Twitter video was part of an old video in which the tourist narrated an incident during her visit to the city (Varanasi) and how ‘she was molested’ during the Holi celebrations in Varanasi in 2020.

A Facebook user shared a photo of a woman with Hungarian-American businessman George Soros, claiming the lady with him was the daughter of former prime minister Manmohan Singh. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the woman in the photo was Soros’ wife, Tamiko Bolton. The claim in the image shared in the social media post was false.

A Facebook user shared a video of an overcrowded passenger train claiming that migrants from Bihar were returning to their home state in large numbers from Tamil Nadu. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check found that the train in the video posted on social media travels between Bihar’s capital city Patna and Barka Kana in Jharkhand. It doesn’t travel from Tamil Nadu to Bihar, as the social media post claims. The unrelated video was shared on social media with a misleading claim.

A video of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ interview was shared as a WhatsApp forward in which the interviewer asked questions about him stealing the Microsoft software and promoting the COVID-19 vaccine to make money. The purported interview ended abruptly, with Gates ‘looking upset’ at the end. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that it was an edited video, and no such questions were asked or discussed in the original version of the video, which is available on the YouTube channel of ABC News. The claim shared with the edited video was false.

A Twitter user shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, claiming she refused to shake hands with PM Modi and greeted him with a ‘namaste’. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the claim in the social media post was false as the photo shared in the social media post was taken at a specific time to make it look like the Italian PM refused to shake hands with PM Modi.

A Facebook user shared a screenshot of a report on Cambridge University’s ranking at its lowest-ever place in the world university table, claiming this happened after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s lecture at the varsity recently. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that Cambridge University’s ranking report was published in June 2019. The social media post was shared with a false claim.

A photo of three cheetahs sitting like the lions of the ‘Ashok Stambh’ was shared in a Facebook post, claiming the picture was recently taken at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, where twelve South African cheetahs arrived in Feb this year as part of an intergovernmental agreement to reintroduce the big cats to India. These 12 cheetahs joined eight others from Namibia in the same national park last year. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the photo shared in the Facebook post was clicked at Kenya's Masai Mara National Park a year ago. The social media post was shared with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a purported clipping of a Hindi newspaper, claiming it reported the alleged killing of the Hindi-speaking migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the newspaper clipping photo was fake and was shared in a social media post with unverified claims.

A Twitter user shared a 31-second video clip of camels sitting amid heavy snow and blizzard, claiming it was the first snowfall snowed in 100 years in Saudi Arabia. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video shared on social media was two-year-old footage from Saudi Arabia. The claim in the social media post was misleading.

A Twitter user shared a video of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and called him the ‘biggest traitor’ because the former Maharashtra CM called ‘Aurangzeb’ his brother and a martyr in his speech. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that a clipped part of Thackeray’s speech from June 2022 was taken out of context and used in the social media post with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a photo showing two men in police custody, claiming they were barbers who confessed to receiving funds from a mosque to infect Hindu customers who visited their shop with AIDS virus. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the photo was of Bhojpuri actor Irfan Khan and his accomplice Sanjay Yadav, who were arrested in 2013 in a theft case. The 10-year-old photo was shared with a false claim in a social media post.

A photo of an AU$5 currency note with a picture of Shane Warne was shared on Twitter, claiming the Australian government decided to print the image of the late Australian cricketing legend on currency notes as a tribute. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the image was digitally altered to share a false claim in a social media post.

A Twitter user shared a video of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel welcoming Congress leaders by garlanding them at the Congress plenary session, claiming the CM gifted the delegates gold chains. The Congress’ 85th plenary session was held in Raipur from Feb 24 to Feb 26. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the garlands were made out of grass and parts of a tree by an indigenous tribe of the state. The claim shared in the video that it was gold chains was false.

A video of two men, in their luxury SUV, allegedly stealing flower pots set up for a G-20 event in Haryana’s Gurugram vehicle went viral on Feb 28. A day later, a Twitter user shared a video claiming the two men were not stealing the flower pots but putting them down from their car. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video was edited and played backwards to share it with the false claim. While the Twitter caption included an emoticon indicating it to be sarcastic, the user didn’t make it clear in the caption, and some of the users believed the video was authentic.

An eight-second video of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, claimed to be recent, purportedly saying ‘the Congress would suffer a massive loss if 90 per cent of the Muslims didn’t vote for the party. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video was over four years old. The Nov 2018 video was shared on social media with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a photo of US President Joe Biden eating ice cream, claiming it was from his recent visit to Kyiv, the capital city of war-torn Ukraine. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that it was a two-year-old image digitally altered and shared in a social media post with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a photo of a crowd outside the Al Ain Branch of Bank of Baroda (BoB) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), claiming people gathered at the bank to close their accounts after its CEO’s interview to a news agency on the Adani Group. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check found that people had gathered outside the bank to close their accounts because the BoB was shutting down its operations at the Al Ain Branch. The Bank’s decision was taken a year back, and it was informed to the central bank of UAE as well. The photo was shared in the social media post with a misleading claim.

A Facebook user shared a link to the ‘Senior Citizen Concession’ section on Air India’s website and claimed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had announced a 50 per cent concession on the airline tickets for senior citizens aged 60 years and above. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the airline offered only a “25 per cent discount” on basic flight fares on “select classes in the Economy cabin”. The social media post was shared with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a video of a man dragging a girl by her hair on the street, claiming it was an ‘attack on the Hindu community’. The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that there was no religious angle in the incident, as both the accused and the victim belonged to the same community. The claim shared in the social media post was false.

A Twitter user shared an 8-second video clip of a massive crack in the land, claiming a 300-kilometre-long fissure in the Earth’s crust caused by the Turkiye-Syria earthquakes occurred on Feb 6. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found the video was old and purportedly from China. We could trace its origin on the Internet back to November 2022, which predates the earthquakes. The claim shared in the social media post was misleading.

A Twitter user shared a video of a crowd under a flyover, claiming the people recited the Hanuman Chalisa in response to the namaz in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video shared on social media dates back to January 2021 from Pakistan’s Lahore. The claim video was shared in social media posts with misleading claims.

A Facebook video shared as WhatsApp forward claimed that a mixture of tomato pulp, lemon juice and toothpaste whitens teeth within 2-3 minutes. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the claim made in social media posts was misleading. A dental expert told PTI that using such products in the name of home remedies could damage the enamel, the protective layer of teeth.

A Twitter user shared two video clips of PM Modi’s ‘vote of thanks’ speech delivered in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha recently, claiming the prime minister gave two different numbers of the beneficiaries of the Jal Jeevan Mission in his speeches in both Houses of Parliament. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the claim in the social media post was misleading as PM Modi did not change the number of the tap water project beneficiaries in his speeches. In his first vote of thanks speech in Lok Sabha on Feb 8, PM Modi said that the Jal Jeevan Mission included eight crore beneficiaries of the drinking water project since its launch three years before. However, in his Rajya Sabha speech the next day, he said the total number of beneficiaries crossed 11 crores this year, including three crores existing till 2014.

A Twitter user shared a photo of an African-American man claiming he was Lunsford Richardson, the inventor of Vicks VapoRub - a widely used cold-relieving ointment - who invented the lotion when his three kids were sick. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the man in the photo was not Lunsford Richardson but an entrepreneur tobacconist named Lunsford Lane. Lunsford Richardson created Vicks VapoRub out of love and concern for his sick son Smith Richardson. The social media post was shared with misleading claims.

A Twitter user shared a video of several vehicles trapped under a collapsed flyover claiming the incident happened recently in the Thane district in Maharashtra. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video was related to the flyover collapse incident in Varanasi in May 2018. The video was recently shared on social media with a false claim.

A video of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her daughter Aaradhya with Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham Temple was shared on social media, claiming the Bollywood actor met the self-styled godman recently. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that two separate and unrelated videos were edited and combined to make it look like Aishwarya met Shastri at a recent event. The fake video was uploaded on YouTube and later shared with a false claim on social media.

A photo with a logo of a Hindi news channel was shared on social media claiming the Uttar Pradesh government offered a job opportunity for ‘weed smokers’ with a salary of over Rs 80 lakh. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that it was a social media post by a news channel’s website shared out of context. The claim in the tweet shared with the photo was false.

An Instagram user shared a video of a woman manhandling a cab driver following a heated argument claiming it happened recently. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that it was a video of a two-year-old incident. The old video was shared on social media without any context.

A Facebook user shared a video of military personnel lined up at an Indonesian airport, claiming the Chinese troops entered the country to protect its workers there. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the military personnel at the Indonesian airport was part of a specialised unit of the Indonesian National Police. The claim in the video shared on social media was false.

A photo of a newspaper clipping claiming that the WHO issued an advisory on milk contamination in India was shared on WhatsApp recently. The screenshot of the report claimed that if milk adulteration were not checked, 87% of people in the country would have cancer by 2025. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the World Health Organisation never issued any such warning as claimed in the report. The claim shared in social media posts was baseless.

A Twitter user shared two photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he was shown ‘wearing the Islamic skullcap’. The PTI Fact Check found that the images were digitally altered and shared in the social media post with a false claim.

A 23-year-old Delhi girl named Nikki Yadav was allegedly killed by her live-in partner on the intervening night of Feb 9-10 for objecting to her partner’s marriage with another girl. Soon after the media reported the crime, several posts floated on social media claiming a communal angle in the incident. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the accused, identified as 24-year-old Sahil Gahlot, was not from the Muslim community. The social media posts were shared with a false claim, giving it a communal spin.

A Twitter user shared a photo of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru claiming he was allegedly ‘slapped by a Hindu saint’ and ‘forced to leave’ from a meeting after the incident. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo, dating back to 1962, was from a Congress meeting in Patna where the crowd turned chaotic to catch a glimpse of the then-prime minister. The claim in the photo shared in the social media posts was false.

A Twitter user shared a video of a rare cloud formation, linking it to America’s HAARP technology and the Feb 6 earthquakes in Turkiye, which killed more than 31000 people and injured thousands of others. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the sizeable circular cloud formation was a natural weather phenomenon known as a lenticular cloud. Also, the HAARP Program Office at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, rejected the claim that its weather technology was the reason behind the rare cloud formation or the earthquakes in Turkiye. The claim shared in the social media posts were misleading.

A Facebook user shared a video of a man singing a Hindi ghazal claiming the singer was from Kenya. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the singer was an Indian named Sanjay Sawant. The claim shared in the social media post was misleading.

A video of a man, claimed to be Bob Geldof, was shared on WhatsApp saying the legendary singer-writer predicted the rise of social media and smartphone use in one of his interviews at BBC in 1999. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the person who appeared as the guest in the video was not Bob Geldof. It was a satire video produced by comedian Michael Spicer impersonating singer David Bowie. The claim in the WhatsApp forward video was false.

A Twitter user shared a video of fighter jets shooting down a balloon in the air, claiming it was the footage of F-22 fighter jets firing a heat-seeking missile at the suspected Chinese spy balloon earlier in February this year. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video shared in the social media post was not real but a product of digital simulation, and it went viral soon after the US Air Force announced that it shot down a Chinese ‘spy’ balloon.

A photo of Rahul Gandhi with a person was shared in a recent tweet, claiming the Congress leader was with Hindenburg Research founder Nathan Anderson. Hindenburg Research was in the news for publishing a report accusing the Adani Group of massive stock manipulation. The Gautam Adani-led conglomerate significantly suffered in terms of its valuation and faced criticism from the opposition since January 24, when the US-based short-seller published its report. The Twitter user shared the photo to claim that the Hindenburg Research founder had connections with Rahul Gandhi.

Pakistani-Canadian journalist Tarek Fatah shared on Twitter a screenshot of a report allegedly saying, ‘Pakistan will not ask earthquake-hit Turkiye for loans until next month’. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the headline and description in the screenshot were part of a satire article posted on a parody website. The Pakistani-Canadian journalist shared the screenshot of the satire article from his Twitter handle.

A Facebook user shared a photo of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina purportedly with a dash of vermilion powder on her forehead, claiming her to be a ‘religious trader’. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that an old photo from Hasina’s 2012 visit to India was digitally altered and shared on social media with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a photo attributing a quote to Indian-origin British-American novelist Salman Rushdie that warns other religions and cultures about Islam. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that Rushdie never made any such comments, and he clarified that the quote wasn’t his in one of his posts on Twitter.

A Twitter user shared a photo of spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev with a woman, questioning his conduct. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the woman in the photo was Sadhguru’s daughter Radhe Jaggi. The image displayed the father-daughter bond but was given a tasteless spin in social media posts to portray the spiritual leader in a bad light.

Following the devasting Feb 6 earthquakes in Tukiye and Syria, many heart-wrenching photos and videos were shared on social media claiming to be related to the calamity in two middle east countries. The PTI Fact Check Desk received five images on its Fact Check WhatsApp No. +91-8130503759 and found in its investigation that four pictures were old and unrelated to the Feb 6 quakes, while one was an original image.

A Twitter user shared a video of actors Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani dancing at an event, claiming that it was from their pre-wedding celebrations in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was from the 2020 wedding reception of Advani’s cousin Anissa Malhotra. The video was shared as recent in social media posts with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a video of a huge swarm of blackbirds flying across a road claiming the birds showed ‘strange behaviour’ just before the devastating Feb 6 earthquakes in Turkiye, where 9000 people were killed. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was old and captured the blackbirds’ activities in Houston in 2017. The social media post shared the old video with a false claim.

Social media platforms have been flooded with harrowing visuals claiming they are from Turkiye, formerly Turkey, and Syria, which were rocked by a series of devastating earthquakes on Feb 6, killing more than 5,000 people to date. The PTI Fact Check Desk received four such videos, claimed to be related to earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, but found in its investigation that they were old and unrelated to the recent calamity in both middle east countries. The social media posts that shared these videos were misleading.

A Twitter user shared a photo of a purported protest against Indian conglomerate Adani group and claimed it took place in Australia recently. The claim comes in the wake of the upheaval in India after New York-based investor research firm Hindenburg Research allegedly accused the Gautam Adani-led conglomerate of 'stock manipulation and financial irregularities’ over the course of decades. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo shared recently was six years old and shared in social media posts with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a screenshot of an article where long-time Starbucks CEO and current interim CEO Howard Schultz allegedly said, “If you support traditional marriage, don’t buy our coffee.” The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that a statement made by Schultz in a 2013 annual general meeting of the company had been misconstrued and shared in social media posts with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared Shah Rukh Khan’s photo claiming it was his recent picture from the sets of his upcoming film ‘Jawan.’ The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was almost a year-old photo but shared as recent on social media with a misleading claim.

A video of two wrestlers was shared on a Facebook page claiming the one who pinned the other wrestler was Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, the self-styled godman from the Bageshwar Dham temple. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the wrestler who knocked down another wrestler was Pakistan’s Ghulam Hussain Pathan. The claim in the social media post was false.

A Twitter user shared a 43-second video clip of a speech by Pirzada Taha Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif in West Bengal's Hooghly, claiming he allegedly incited Muslims to prepare their children to ‘wage war against Hindus’. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that a selected part of an extended version of his speech was taken out of context and shared in social media posts with a misleading claim. The claim in the tweet was misleading.

BJP national spokesperson RP Singh shared a Twitter post claiming UAE Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had ordered the renaming of Al Minhad district and its surrounding areas as ‘Hind City’ allegedly to “honour the contribution of India and Hindus towards humanity.” The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the Ruler of Dubai’s order to rename the place had nothing to do with India or Hindus. ‘Hind’ has several meanings in Arabic and is also an old female Arabic name. The social media post was shared with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a video claiming Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor threw away a fan’s phone in anger. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was a part of a smartphone company's ad campaign for a new phone. The video was shared as an actual incident on social media with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a photo of an Indian cricket fan, purportedly holding a placard supporting Pakistani captain Babar Azam over Virat Kohli. The user also claimed that the image was of Ranchi, where the first of the three-match T20I series between India and New Zealand was held recently. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo was from the 11th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2018, and the text on the placard was edited. The morphed photo was shared on social media as recently with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a video that claimed that ‘Coronavirus’ is a Latin term, and it means ‘heart attack virus’ if translated into English using Google Translate. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that Coronavirus is not a Latin word but a combination of two Latin terms, and they don’t translate into ‘heart attack virus’ in English. The claim in the video shared in the Facebook post is misleading.

An Instagram user shared a video of Hindi news channel anchor Anjana Om Kashyap claiming she sang a Bollywood song during a live broadcast on the TV channel. The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the video was digitally altered to make it look like she was singing a Hindi movie song. The Instagram Reel with the edited video was shared on social media with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared an article that claimed a ‘huge asteroid’ was set to hit the Earth on Jan 27 this year, as written in its headline. The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the asteroid named 2023 BU was the size of a ‘box truck,’ It made one of the closest approaches to Earth when it passed ‘just 2,200 miles from Earth’ on Jan 27. The asteroid had no chance of hitting Earth and was too small to be dangerous. The claim in the screenshot shared in the social media post was false.

A Facebook page shared a screenshot of an alleged tweet in the name of the BBC News Hindi Twitter handle claiming the central government gave Bageshwar Dham’s Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Z+ security. Dhirendra Shastri was recently into controversy after social activist Shyam Manav accused him of promoting superstitions. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo containing the alleged tweet by the BBC News Hindi Twitter handle was fake. The screenshot was shared by a satire page and went viral on social media with the false claim.

A Twitter user cited data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and claimed the Earth has been cooling, not warming, over the years, allegedly proving that global warming from carbon emissions was a hoax. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that a selected part of the NOAA graphics on land and ocean temperatures over the years was taken out of context to highlight the ‘global cooling’ trend falsely. The NOAA and two environmental science experts, whom the Desk reached out to for comment, vehemently refuted the claim made in the post on Twitter.

Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan, which created controversy due to one of its songs and the colour of the costumes of lead actress Deepika Padukone, released on Jan 25 and received good reviews from most of the audiences. Social media platforms have been flooded with photos and videos shared by users who claimed the movie earned positive responses. However, a photo and a video shared by social media users are old and unrelated to SRK’s Pathaan. The PTI Fact Check Desk noticed that the photo was edited, and the video was old and shared in the context of SRK’s movie Pathaan.

A Twitter user shared a photo of Rahul Gandhi, claiming one of two persons with the former Congress president was the producer of the controversial BBC documentary. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was an old photo in which Rahul was seen with British politician Jeremy Corbyn and Sam Pitroda during his meeting in 2022. The old photo was shared on social media with a false claim.

A Congress leader shared a video of BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claiming he criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a TV debate show. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the 5-second footage was trimmed from the video of Bhatia’s remarks during a debate show on a TV channel. In the more extended version of the video, he responded to a claim from the Congress leader, and one line from his remarks was trimmed to share in the social media posts with the misleading claim.

A Facebook user shared a video of BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan allegedly slapping a wrestler for asking questions at an event. Sharan has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers by top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video shared in the Facebook post was two years old and shared as recent with a misleading claim.

A Facebook user shared a video of a dance troupe performing at the famous 'America’s Got Talent’ purportedly on an Indian patriotic song. However, the PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video dated back to 2018, and was digitally altered and shared on social media with false claim.

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Twitter handle posted a tweet that the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant of Coronavirus was “more likely to infect people vaccinated or had already been infected with COVID-19”. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the tweet was taken out of context and shared by multiple social media users with misleading claims. Two medical experts told PTI that there was no conclusive evidence that people vaccinated against COVID-19 were more vulnerable to the XBB.1.5 subvariant of Omicron, as claimed in the tweet.

A video of two people dancing to the ‘Besharam Rang’ song at an event was recently shared on Twitter with the claim that the male dancer featured is Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto. However, a PTI fact check found the man in the clip is actually a media student in Karachi.

A Twitter user shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, along with Home Minister Amit Shah and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The user claimed that the photo was of a “secret meeting” between BJP and Congress leaders. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo dated back to August 2021 and was of the customary Speaker’s meet with parties following the adjournment of the Lok Sabha. The photo was shared in social media posts with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a video claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly watched trailer of Shahrukh Khan's upcoming movie Pathaan. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was digitally morphed and dated back to 2019. The video shared in aocial media posts was digitally morphed.

An Instagram user shared a video claiming to be of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s staff and country’s defense officials celebrating Pongal festival. The video was also shared by some media outlets carrying the same claim. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was from Waterloo in Canada. The claim in the video shared on social media and news portals was false.

A Facebook user shared a video of ice coming out of a waterpipe, claiming it was from the Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the video was at least four years old. Multiple social media users and news websites shared the same video, linking it to different places in India, Pakistan, and Nigeria over the past four years. The claim in the video shared in social media posts that the video was from Rajasthan is false.

A user shared a photo of a bowler claiming to be Swami Vivekananda when playing cricket for Calcutta Town Club in 1884. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo was morphed and shared with a false claim. The original phot was of English cricketer Hedley Verity.

Several social media users shared a couple of airplane accident videos claiming they showed how the Yeti Airlines flight crashed minutes before landing in Pokhara in Nepal on Jan 15. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that both videos were old and related to separate airplane accidents in Russia and Afghanistan in 2021 and 2013, respectively. The claims with the videos shared in social media posts were false.

A Facebook user shared a video of a kid carried away by a kite, claiming that the incident occurred recently in Ahmedabad. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was an August 2020 video from a kite festival in Taiwan. The claim in the video shared on social media was false.

A video of an angry bodybuilder, said to be an Indian, kicking his prize at an award ceremony was shared on social media, claiming he protested against alleged caste discrimination despite being the winner at the event. The PTI Fact Check team found in its investigation that the bodybuilder, identified as Jahid Hasan Shuvo from Bangladesh, was angry with the jury’s decision not to declare him the winner and was given a blender machine as the runner-up prize. The claim in the video shared on social media was false.

A Facebook user shared a post claiming a new guideline by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has declared that all scribbled banknotes will become invalid. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the RBI never issued such guidelines, as mentioned in the Facebook post. The claim in the social media post was false.

A Twitter user shared a video of an artificial womb facility, claiming it allows infertile couples to conceive a baby and even choose its characteristics from a wide range of the available menu. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the 30-second clip shared on Twitter was a part of an extended version, a mere visual representation of a concept that doesn't exist. Hashem Al-Ghaili, the biotechnologist who shared the concept video, confirmed to the Desk that the technology depicted in the clip was just a concept. He also said that the video was taken out of context and was shared as real by some social media users.

A social media user shared a photo of an airplane accident, claiming it was of the Pokhara plane crash that happened on Jan 15. At least 68 people were killed after a 72-seat passenger aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines crashed upon landing at Pokhara International Airport on Jan 15. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo was of an 11-year-old airplane crash that happened in Kathmandu in September 2012. Social media users, a news agency, and several news websites carried the 11-year-old picture in their posts and reports related to Jan 15 Pokhara plane crash incident.

A social media user shared a photo of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi having food with a ‘plate of chicken’ and a ‘glass of alcohol’ on his table. Another user shared a photo of Sugar Cosmetics CEO Vineeta Singh claiming she played the role of mother in a Bollywood movie, ‘3 Idiots’. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that Rahul Gandhi’s photo was edited and shared with a false claim. Similarly, the claim in the social media post shared with Vineeta Singh’s photo was incorrect, as an actress named Amardeep Jha played the mother’s role in the movie ‘3 Idiots’.

A Facebook user shared a picture of a landslide in a mountainous area claiming the photo was from Uttarakhand's Joshimath, which has been affected by severe land subsidence recently. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo shared in the Facebook post was dated back to March 2018 from a landslide in the Cusco region of Peru. The satellite images and photos from the Joshimath region have indicated that the town is at risk of collapse due to cracks in hundreds of houses, hotels, and roads due to severe land subsidence. Social media users have shared many photos from the region, and a few of those images are found to be unrelated to Joshimath.

A Twitter user posted a photo of a woman porter claiming she was Sandhya Marawi, India's first woman porter, working on a railway station in Katni in Madhya Pradesh. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the name, photo, and details of the woman porter were correct in the tweet, but the claim that she was India's first female porter was incorrect.

A YouTube video claiming Twitter CEO Elon Musk allegedly bought Google sparked rumours over social media where many users asked questions about its veracity. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video clip was created by a 'fan channel,' which makes content for 'fictive entertainment.' The claim in the YouTube video was purely baseless.

A social media user shared a video of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with an elderly man claiming she was with her father at her ancestral home. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the Dec 2022 video was of her visit to Kashi, and the person she met was the great-nephew of famous Tamil poet Mahakavi Bharathiyar. The social media post was shared with a false claim.

Several social media users shared a photo of Deepika Padukone wearing saffron-colour footwear claiming the Bollywood actor wore it to mock the people who protested against her wearing a saffron-colour bikini in one of the songs in Pathaan. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was a three-year-old photo and recently shared it on social media with a misleading claim.

A Facebook user shared a photo of a woman riding a rickshaw with an older man sitting as the passenger, claiming she was a police officer and the man, a rickshaw puller, was her father. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the woman was Miss India Universe 2008 Simran Kaur Mundi, and the older man was not her father. The photo was shared in the social media post with a false claim.

An Instagram user shared a video of several vehicles colliding with each other due to dense fog and claimed the incident took place in Rajasthan recently. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video shared in the Instagram post was old and related to an incident where many cars collided on Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. The Instagram post which shared the 5-year-old video as recent was misleading.

An Instagram user shared a video of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi claiming he cited a Hindu religious hymn during his speech. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was edited to make him look like he was chanting the hymn. The Desk watched the original video of his speech and didn't find him chanting any religious song. The Instagram post was shared with a false claim.

A Facebook user shared a screenshot of a report claiming artificial sweeteners were responsible for the recent spike in sudden deaths due to cardiac arrests. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the claim in the report cited in the social media post was misleading. Speaking to medical experts and scanning several studies, the Desk found no conclusive evidence backing the claim made in the social media post.

Social media users shared a photo and video of people allegedly living near railway tracks claiming they were related to the Haldwani railway land encroachment case. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo and video were old and not from anywhere in Haldwani. The old image and video from Kolkata were shared in social media posts with false claims.

A Facebook user shared a video of an alleged verbal spat between doctors inside an operation theatre, claiming it was from Chandigarh. Meanwhile, Pakistan-Canadian journalist Tarek Fatah shared the same video and claimed it was from a hospital in Pakistan. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video related to an incident at a hospital in Rajasthan's Jodhpur in 2017 was shared as recent with a false claim.

A social media user recently shared a video of K Chandrashekar Rao claiming the Telangana chief minister called himself Prime Minister Narendra Modi's best friend. The user claimed that KCR said this because his daughter was questioned in the liquor scam. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video shared in the tweet was an old video dated back to 2018, and it was shared in the tweet with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user posted a tweet with two photos of a woman fighter pilot claiming Sania Mirza, daughter of a TV mechanic from Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district, has become India's first Muslim fighter pilot. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that 17-year-old Sania has secured All India Rank 63 and AIR 10 in the girls' category in the 149th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA). She was not yet commissioned as a pilot in the Indian Air Force. The photos used in the tweet were of Mawya Sudan, the first female fighter pilot from Jammu & Kashmir and the 12th woman officer in India. The tweet posted on Dec 24 was shared with a false claim and wrong photos.

Many social media users recently shared a video clip of a news channel claiming that some significant changes in banking services were announced effective from Jan 20, 2023. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video dated back to 2018 and was shared as recent with a false claim. Notably, even back then, the claims made in the video were found misleading.

A Facebook user shared Pele's photo in a post claiming that FIFA will keep the feet of the soccer legend who passed away on Dec 29 last year in a museum for display with the permission of his family. The PTI Fact Check Desk contacted FIFA to verify the information shared in the Facebook post. In an email to the PTI fact Check Desk, the international organisation that controls the sport of football refuted the claim in the Facebook post.

A Twitter user shared a report claiming the World Economic Forum (WEF) had ordered the public to bathe only once a week or even less as part of an effort to combat climate change. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the WEF never made any such statement on climate change. The tweet was shared with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a video claiming the World Health Organisation (WHO) termed Coronavirus as the common flu in a recent announcement. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the footage dated back to 2020 and was shared as recent with a misleading claim.

A Twitter user shared a screenshot of a story claiming former Twitter CEO Parag Agarwal was arrested in a child porn case. The post in the screengrab also claimed that Agarwal was nabbed after a tip-off by the company's new owner Elon Musk. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the screenshot in the post shared on Twitter was a part of an article published on a satirical website. The claim in the post shared by the Twitter user was false.

A Delhi BJP leader shared a video of Rahul Gandhi claiming the Congress leader said he would stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra if it didn't work. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that Rahul Gandhi's remark was unrelated to his Yatra. The tweet shared the 9-second clip of Rahul Gandhi's video in which he responded to a query on wearing a half-sleeve T-Shirt in the winter. The video shared on social media platforms was in the wrong context.

A social media user shared a photo of Rahul Gandhi claiming the Congress leader was reading a Kannada language newspaper. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the image was from the commemorative launch of National Herald newspaper held in Bengaluru on June 12, 2017. The post claiming Rahul Gandhi reading Kannada newspaper was misleading.

A Twitter user shared a video of panic-stricken people running on a street claiming it from a recent earthquake in Nepal. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video dated back to 2015. The old video was shared by the social media user with a false claim.

Thousands of Tourists thronged Manali's tourist city in Himachal Pradesh to celebrate Christmas, year-end, and the new year in the last weeks of December. This unprecedented footfall has led to severe traffic jams on the roads leading to Manali and other connected places in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, a photo was shared across social media platforms showing massive traffic congestion stretching to several kilometers near Manali. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found the photo to be old and the claim in the viral post as misleading. While the high footfall of tourists in Manali has led to significant traffic jams, the viral image has yet to be clicked recently but dates back to January 2022.

A video has been making rounds on social media recently in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be seen talking about the steps taken by the government to curb the Covid-19 Pandemic. Several users shared the video on Facebook as if PM Modi's announcements were made recently. The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the video, dating back to March 2020, was shared on social media as recent with a misleading claim.

A Facebook user shared a post claiming Ayodhya's Ram Mandir will be inaugurated on January 1, 2023. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the viral post is false. The temple trust confirmed to the Desk that the construction works would be completed next year. The claim in the post shared on Facebook was false.

A Twitter user shared an image of a crowd claiming that the situation in Russia is terrible, and people were standing outside banks possibly to withdraw their savings. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo was an old picture clicked in 1991. The social media users shared the old image to claim that banks in Russia were in trouble.

Several social media users shared a photo of Argentine football champion Lionel Messi holding a placard with a comment on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. The viral post claimed that Messi asked Zelensky and Ukrainian refugees to leave Europe at the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was an 8-year-old photo first posted on Messi's Instagram page, and it was morphed and shared in recent social media posts with a false claim.

A Twitter user shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the dress he wore was for women. The user posted a female model's image in the same tweet to indicate that the same dress was available at an online merchandise outlet. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the model's photo was edited and shared in the tweet to spread misinformation.

A WhatsApp user shared a video of Rahul Gandhi claiming that the Congress leader attended an event where a Bhojpuri song was sung by the singers performing on the stage. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video, which was 'forwarded many times' on WhatsApp, was edited. The Bhojpuri song was imposed on the video clip to share it with a false claim.

Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga tweeted a video claiming that two Sikh motorcyclists pushed an ambulance, which broke while carrying a critical patient in Delhi. While Bagga did not mention when the incident occurred, it went viral and was carried by a couple of news websites when he posted it on Dec 21. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video posted by Bagga on Twitter was three years old and previously posted on Facebook and YouTube by different users in 2019. The news reports claiming the incident as recent are misleading.

A social media user shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to a railway station with a claim that the image was clicked at 04:20 AM, as shown in the digital clock in the picture. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the photo was edited and shared in the tweet with a false claim. The original image was clicked at 01:13 AM when the PM visited Banaras railway station and inspected the developments works at the platform.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut shared a video of a huge procession in Maharashtra on Twitter to counter Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim that the protest march held by the opposition was a "Nano Morcha". Raut's tweet was to counter Fadnavis' remark over the MVA's Halla Bol rally held on Dec 17, 2022 in Mumbai, which the latter had termed as a "Nano Morcha". The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was an old video of Maratha Kranti Morcha held in 2017 demanding reservation in jobs for the Maratha community. Hence, Sanjay Raut's tweet in which he shared a 5-year-old video was misleading.

A Twitter user shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dating back to 1993, and claimed that the person standing next to him was Amit Shah. In its investigation of the viral post, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the person with Modi in the photo was not Amit Shah. The man seen with Modi in the picture was RSS leader Dr. Sanjiv Oza. Dr. Oza accompanied Modi during his visit to Germany in 1993. The claim relating to Amit Shah in the photo in the social media posts was false.

Many social media users shared a photo of Portuguese Football player Cristiano Ronaldo watching the FIFA World Cup 2022 final match between Argentina and France on Dec 18. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the picture of the footballer was from the UEFA Champions League, Turin, Italy, in 2018. The claim in the social media post was shared with misleading claim.

Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, has covered eight states as it completed its 100 days on December 16. During the ambitious foot-march, which aims at covering 3,570 km in 150 days, the Congress leader became the target of misinformation on various occasions. Just before Gandhi's Yatra completed 100 days, a Facebook post went viral in which he was shown dressed as a monk. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the viral image was edited.

Social media platforms flooded with videos of clashes between Indian and Chinese Armed Forces after the reports of the Tawang scuffle in which Indian troops thrashed and pushed back the Chinese PLA at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on Dec 9. The PTI Fact Check Desk came across two videos and one photo claiming they were related to the recent Tawang scuffle. The Desk found in its investigation that both videos were available on YouTube and published a year back. The photo shared in one of the posts was published in a report in 2010. The social media posts sharing these videos and photo are misleading.

Newly-elected Congress MLA Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took oath as the 15th chief minister on Sunday after the party's victory in the recently concluded assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. Many social media users shared congratulatory messages for the new CM on Twitter. The PTI fact Check Desk found 14 Twitter accounts sharing posts in the name of the new CM. The Desk investigated and found that none of them was verified and authentic. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu doesn't have an official Twitter account yet.

A social media user shared an image of high-speed bullet trains claiming that the photo was of the bullet trains in Gujarat. Another post claimed the photo was from Bhubaneswar. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the picture of the bullet trains was from Wuhan in China. The claim in the social media post was false.

India assumed the G20 Presidency from Indonesia on December 1 this year and will convene the G20 Leaders' Summit for the first time in the country in 2023. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has said 100 ASI sites would be lit up from December 1-7 and all illuminated heritage structures will highlight the G-20 logo over the monument. ASI's official Twitter handle shared photos of monuments lit up, highlighting the G20 logo on Dec 1. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that ASI, in its thread of the tweets on the illuminated monuments on Dec 1, labelled Humayun's Tomb in the caption, while the corresponding photograph in the image grid was that of Delhi's Safdarjung Tomb.

The second phase of the Gujarat Assembly Elections to 93 seats is on December 5, with results for both phases due on December 8. Voting was held for the first phase in 89 seats spread across 19 districts on December 1. In the run-up to the elections, users and political leaders shared many social media posts to target the supporters and the leaders of the opposition parties. The PTI Fact Check Desk found ten such social media posts shared with either misleading or false claims. The Desk investigated the claims, and here is what it found.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar began on November 20, with 64 matches to be played through to the final on December 18. Social media is flooded with posts by fans for their favourite countries and players in the tournament. At the same time, many misleading and fake posts have been shared. The PTI Fact Check Desk scanned Facebook and Twitter and found several posts with false and misleading claims. The Desk investigated the claims in 10 viral posts, and here is what we found.

A social media user shared a photo of Virat Kohli, claiming the former India captain wore a white t-shirt with the Bharat Jodo Yatra logo to support Rahul Gandhi's Yatra. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that Kohli's photo in a white t-shirt was clicked in 2016, and there was no logo on the t-shirt in the original photo. The tweet claiming Kohli supported Yatra wearing the Yatra logo-printed t-shirt is misleading.

Many social media users, including politicians, have shared a video of Rahul Gandhi claiming that his translator left the stage in the middle of his speech at a public rally because he could not understand and translate it. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the people at the rally told the translator to let Gandhi continue his speech in Hindi. The translator conveyed the same to Gandhi and returned to his seat. The claim that the translator walked out while Gandhi was addressing the people was misleading.

Many social media users have shared an image of a stall offering funeral services claiming it was set up at this year's International Trade Fair in Delhi to promote its business. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the company offers funeral services in a few cities in Maharashtra. The viral photo was captured at a business fair organised in Thane. The claim that the company opened its booth at Delhi's International Trade Fair was false.

Many social media users shared a video of interconnected lit-up boats sailing in a river claiming that 240 lit-up boats were sailing on a river near Sri Mahankaleshwara Devalayam to celebrate Deepotsavam in Kerala. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was an old video of interconnected boats from the Golden Dragon boat show in China. The claim with the video shared in tweets and YouTube channels is fake.

A recent Facebook post shared a video of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's speech during an election rally in Shimla with the text quoting him as saying Sachin Pilot would replace Ashok Gehlot as chief minister of Rajasthan. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that Kharge made no such announcement in the video and at the rally he addressed at Banuti in Shimla Rural. The claim in the Facebook post, which received one million views and 43,000 likes, is false.

Soon after Elon Musk took control of Twitter after finalising a $44bn deal, the micro-blogging site was flooded with multiple posts claiming former US president Donald Trump and Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut got access to their suspended accounts. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the viral tweets were misleading. Twitter handles of Trump and Kangana are still under permanent suspension. Musk has yet to decide on the accounts suspended for violating Twitter Rules.

On the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to hand over the keys of 3024 flats to economically weaker section (EWS) beneficiaries in Delhi, the BJP Delhi's official Twitter handle tweeted a poster showing the PM's face, buildings of a residential society and a group picture of five adults and four children to promote the event on the social media platform. The Tweet claimed that thousands of slum dwellers were getting the gift of a pucca house from the government in the landless camp of Delhi. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the picture of the group of people was old, and they were not the beneficiaries of the EWS flat scheme in Delhi. The tweet posted by the Delhi BJP's official Twitter handle was misleading.

After the Morbi suspension bridge collapse that killed more than 130 people, a social media user shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo claiming the person with him in the picture was Odhavji Patel. The Tweet contended that the person in the photo - Odhavji Patel - was given the tender to repair the Morbi bridge that collapsed on Oct 30 (Sunday). The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the man with PM Modi in the photo was Raghavji Patel. Raghavji is the sitting BJP MLA from Jamnagar Rural. He is currently serving as the cabinet minister in the Gujarat government. Odhavji Raghavji Patel, who died in 2012, was the founder of the Oreva Group, which was awarded the tender for the Morbi bridge repair works. The claim about the photo in the tweets is misleading.

A video of newly-appointed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty was shared on WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, claiming he performed a 'Griha Pravesh Puja' (Housewarming ceremony) at 10 Downing Street in the City of Westminster, which is the office and residence of the PM. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video was old and shot when Sunak and his wife visited a temple in London to celebrate Janmashtami. The claim in the video is misleading.

Two Pakistani YouTube Channels shared a video of an army veteran claiming that he was drunk when he attended an air force event. The PTI Fact Check Desk received the same video on its WhatsApp number, +91-8130503759, requesting to verify the claim. The Desk found in its investigation that the officer in the video was Subedar Major Govind Swamy. He was invited to attend a felicitation ceremony organised by the Madras Sappers in Bengaluru to celebrate his 100th birthday. Major Swamy was the ex-Drill instructor of the National Defence Academy (NDA). The claim in the video is fake.

Many people shared messages on social media claiming that the Cartoon Network Channel was shutting down. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the channel turned 30 this year and was not closing down. The posts shared on Twitter are not true. For now, Cartoon Network's channel is staying, but Cartoon Network Studios is shutting down.

Many social media users, including leaders from the major political parties, shared a photo and a video of helicopter crash incidents in their posts on the Kedarnath helicopter incident that happened on October 18. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the image and the video shared in the tweets are not related to the helicopter that crashed in Kedarnath. The Tweets are misleading.

An image of Nirmala Sitharaman was shared on Twitter, claiming she bought onions while visiting a vegetable market in Chennai. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the image shared in the tweet was digitally morphed. The finance minister visited Chennai's vegetable market on October 8 and bought some vegetables. But the image used in the tweet showing her buying onions is edited.

A Facebook user has shared a screenshot of a tweet claiming former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh tweeted in favour of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the tweet shared in the Facebook post is not from a verified handle, and Manmohan Singh doesn't have a Twitter account. The Facebook post showing the tweet in the name of Dr. Singh is misleading.

Some social media users shared a video claiming Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath disrespected Mahatma Gandhi and left the event venue within 30 seconds after offering flowers to his statue. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video in the tweet was a small clip of a more extended version of a footage in which Yogi was seen attending the prayer meeting also near Gandhi's statue. An image tweeted by the BJP MLA from Lucknow East showed Yogi bowing his head with folded hands while paying his tribute to Gandhi. The claim in the shared social media post that he didn't pay respect properly with folded hands and left the event in 30 seconds is fake.

Social media users shared an image of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal holding a bow and an arrow in the reverse direction, claiming the Aam Aadmi Party leader was pointing the target toward himself, and not the effigy of Ravana, at a Dussehra event. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the image in the social media post is morphed and shared with a fake claim.

Some social media users have shared a video of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das claiming he talked about how to block digital payment apps in case someone had installed them on a phone that got lost. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the RBI governor's video is edited, and the claim shared in the social media posts is fake.

Some social media users have shared a video claiming that Pakistani flags were carried in a procession organised to support Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the flags seen in the shared video belong to Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Indian Union Muslim Youth League (IUMYL). The viral claim that Pakistani flags were seen in the procession is fake.

Some social media users have shared an image of a beef biryani recipe pack claiming yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali is selling the product in the Indian market. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the image of the food product is morphed. National Foods, a kitchen & food solution provider multinational company, sells the spice mix product shown in the image in the Pakistani market. The viral claim that Patanjali sells beef biryani is fake.

Some social media users have shared a video of Anupriya Patel claiming that the Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader snapped ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and supported Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video is from 2019 and is being shared now in social media posts with the fake claim.

A photo of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi walking with a girl during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala is being shared with the claim that the girl was Amulya Leona Noronha, who was arrested for shouting a pro-Pakistan slogan at a Bengaluru event in February 2020. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the girl with Gandhi in the social media posts was Miva Jolly from Kerala. Miva is the general secretary of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) for the Ernakulam district in the state. The viral claim that the girl with Rahul Gandhi was Amulya Leona is fake.

A claim has gone viral on social media platforms that King Charles III signed a proclamation stating that Donald Trump won the 2020 US Presidential election and was the rightful President by Law. Also, an image of a note with the text 'Trump won 2020' atop Queen Elizabeth's coffin is also being shared by many social media users. PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the claim that King Charles III signed the proclamation is fake, and the image with the 'Trump won 2020' note on the Queen's coffin is edited.

A Facebook post has claimed that the white goat seen at the crowning and declaration of Prince Charles as King of England was intended for sacrifice. The PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that the white goat amid soldiers dressed in red uniforms is the mascot of the Royal Welsh. The viral claim that the white goat was brought for sacrifice is fake.

Social Media users have shared a video of a wrestling match claiming one of the wrestlers is Bajrang Punia, the bronze medal winner of 2020 Tokyo Olympics. PTI Fact Check Desk has found in its investigation that the wrestler's name is Mosam Ali, and he is from Punjab. The social media posts claiming the wrestler to be Bajrang Punia misleading.

A tweet with a photo of former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray looking at tattoos on a man's back has gone viral. In the photo, the man showed his tattoo design with the photos of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray to the Shiv Sena chief. In the same photo, Sanjay Raut's face is visible around the man's lower waist. The PTI Fact Check Desk has found in its investigation that the photo was edited as the original image of the tattoos didn't have Sanjay Raut's face. The picture in the tweet is edited.

A Facebook user has shared a video of Rajnath Singh claiming that the BJP leader made remarks on the prime minister of his own government on the issue of price rise. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the video in the Facebook post was of a political rally in 2013 when Rajnath Singh criticised the Congress government and the-then prime minister Manmohan Singh on the inflation issue. A short clip from the 2013 rally video has now been shared as recent with a misleading claim.

Bengaluru, known as India's Silicon Valley, faced an unprecedented heavy downpour over the last few days, bringing Karnataka's capital city to its knees as a significant part of the city sank under rainwater. People started using tractors or boats to help the residents in some areas of the city. Social media platforms have also been flooded with images, videos of waterlogging, and memes on Bengaluru rains. A few social media users are sharing memes and unverified information as facts on Twitter. The PTI Fact Check Desk came across many tweets claiming Uber (An American mobility service provider) has started boat services in Bengaluru. The Desk found in its investigation that Uber has not launched such a service in the city and the information shared on social media platforms is fake.

Pakistan has been hit by one of the worst floodings in decades. During the crisis, scores of videos of similar calamities in the past and elsewhere have been shared on social media, portraying them as recent. While scanning various social media platforms for such posts, the PTI Fact Check Desk came across three tweets showing a video of a family swept away in floods, claiming it happened in Pakistan. The Desk found in its investigation that the video in the tweet was not from Pakistan. It captured an incident that happened in 2011 at Patal Pani Waterfall in Indore. The claim that the video is of floods in Pakistan is fake.

Social media users have shared an image of Dr. Manmohan Singh claiming that Oxford University has a scholarship in the name of the former prime minister of India. PTI Fact Check Desk, during its investigation, found that Oxford University has no such scholarship and that the viral post is fake.

A Tweet claiming former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been appointed Team India's mentor for the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup this year has been widely circulated on social media. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that the viral tweet is fake. There is no verified report about Dhoni being appointed as the Team India mentor for both tournaments.

Many social media posts recently claimed that the West Bengal Police has arrested fake doctors from some top hospitals in Kolkata. Most of the posts had a video clip showing a news anchor narrating the arrest details. During its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video in viral social media posts was a part of a news bulletin by an English news channel aired in 2017. There is no recent report of West Bengal Police busting such a racket of fake doctors in Kolkata or other nearby cities.

Many social media users have shared posts claiming that the central government has imposed a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate of 18% on house rent paid by all those people who live in rented houses. The PTI Fact Check Desk has found in its investigation that not all tenants need to pay 18% GST for renting a residential property. The new rule, effective July 18, 2022, applies only to tenants registered with the GST system. The viral social media posts are misleading.

As India celebrated its 76th Independence Day on August 15, several social media posts went viral with images of some famous world monuments lit up in Indian Tricolour lights. Many users shared the photos claiming that these pictures were clicked to mark the 75th anniversary of India's Independence from British rule. PTI Fact Check Desk has found in its investigation that the images of the world monuments in the Tricolour lights are edited and have been viral on different social media platforms since 2017.

An image of a banner with the Hindi text 'Nitish Sabke Hain' (Nitish is for all) is going viral with a claim that it was put outside the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) office in Patna on the day Nitish Kumar decided to end his party's alliance with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. The PTI Fact Check Desk found in its investigation that it was a two-year-old banner and was put outside the JD-U office in Patna before the 2020 Bihar assembly elections.

New Delhi, July 30 (PTI Fact Check) The imposing Jama Masjid in the national capital’s walled city is not the largest mosque in India, say several historians, correcting the popular perception bolstered by hoardings in the city and also Delhi Tourism’s website. That distinction goes to the Taj-ul-Masajid in Bhopal, they said.

New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) Activist Teesta Setalvad's great-grandfather Chimanlal Setalvad, a member of the Hunter Commission probing the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, was not party to the panel’s verdict and gave a dissenting judgment holding Gen Reginald Dyer responsible, say historians.

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Covid vaccines are not linked to 'sudden adult death syndrome', or Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndromes (SADS), say scientists, countering claims in widely circulated social media posts.

New Delhi, July 2 (PTI) There is no way a smartwatch can be used to scan a FASTag and siphon money from it, the National Payments Corporation of India and Paytm have said in response to a video that is being circulated widely on social media and has led to alarm in many circles.

Kolkata, Jun 26 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress did not propose the name of Droupadi Murmu as president in 2017, say the party's spokespersons, debunking a media report that it had backed the tribal leader for the post five years ago.

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) A report in a news site claiming that Arctic sea ice is increasing and suggesting climate change is therefore not a reality is misleading, say scientists, stressing that climate trends can be estimated using long-term data and not single-year reports.

New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) The imposing Qutub Minar in the Indian capital was built 300 odd years before the first Mughal set foot in India and has nothing at all to do with the Mughal era, say historians, debunking claims in a section of the media.

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) The increase in monkeypox cases has led to a rash of social media posts, many claiming the chimpanzee adenovirus vector used in AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine is behind the outbreak and some suggesting the infection is basically shingles and a “well-known” side effect of the jab.

A Twitter user – a BJP leader from Kerala – shared a photo of a bus driver on duty, wearing what appears to be a white kurta and a skull cap. The user claimed that the person in the image was a driver of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, who violated the uniform code by wearing clothes which are attributed to one particular religion. In its investigation, the Desk found that the photo was taken out of context and shared with a false communal spin in social media post.

A Facebook user shared a video which showed an e-rickshaw carrying some policemen getting overturned in a waterlogged street. The policemen can later be seen struggling to get out of the vehicle. The user shared the video with hashtags related to the ongoing floods in Assam. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found the video to be old and unrelated to the present situation in Assam.

New Delhi, May 12 (PTI) Two of India’s best known film stars, Ajay Devgn and Kangana Ranaut, were at the centre of debate recently for their claims that Hindi is the national language. But that is an incorrect assertion as India does not have a national language.

Panaji, May 2 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said soon after taking oath that his government would form a committee to implement a Uniform Civil Code in the state, projecting it as the first in the country to do so. The reality is somewhat more nuanced and not so clear cut.

New Delhi/Shimla, Apr 24 (PTI) The Akhil Bhartiya Sant Parishad's Himachal Pradesh in-charge Yati Satyadevanand Saraswati has urged Hindus to give birth to more children to avoid India becoming an Islamic country.

New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) Snack food giant Haldiram’s was propelled to a Twitter trend after a TV channel aired a video accusing it of misleading consumers by describing a product's ingredients in Urdu language on its label, and also asked whether animal oil was used.

Chennai, Apr 12 (PTI) Roadside vendors in this Tamil Nadu capital are not spiking biryani, that ever popular layered rice delicacy, with birth control pills as claimed in multiple Twitter posts, health officials here confirmed after conducting inspections.

New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) A popular, much circulated picture of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in a yellow turban is based on a 1975 painting. In reality, the revolutionary, who was only 23 when he was hanged on March 23, 1931, never wore a yellow turban, say historians.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Khatkar Kalan, the Punjab village with an enduring connect to India’s freedom struggle, will forever be associated with Bhagat Singh as his ancestral place. But the freedom fighter was not born in the village and never lived there either.

Lucknow, Mar 17 (PTI) A claim that the BJP, which has come back to power for a second consecutive term in Uttar Pradesh, won seven seats in the assembly polls by 200 votes and 23 seats by 500 votes is incorrect.

New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) A recent study from China has traced a cluster of Omicron infections in Beijing to a contaminated letter received by post. However, experts here advised caution and said airborne transmission is still the dominant route of infection for the virus.

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) A statue of Subhas Chandra Bose to be installed in the canopy facing India Gate will not be the first in India’s capital, as has been widely claimed in social media.

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) There is no scientific evidence to back a widely shared claim on social media that Covid boosters can lead to HIV, a supposition attributed to French virologist Luc Montagnier, say experts.