Punjab Chief Minister Mann denies he is in controversial video

Facing mounting criticism from the opposition over a controversial video, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday, June 25, 2026, reiterated that he was not in that video and claimed that he was wearing a mask resembling the face of the person seen in the objectionable clip.

Also read | AAP under fire over video controversy insulting CM

The Prime Minister once again accused the opposition parties – Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BJP – of joining hands to defame him on religious issues.

Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Mr. Mann showed a video claiming that he was wearing a mask resembling the face of the person seen in the video.

He also stated that the mark on the man’s neck was not visible in the video and emphasized that he was not in the alleged video.

The Prime Minister claimed that a Canada-based person, whom he identified as Jagman Samra and called a “blackmailer”, brought the mask.

Mr. Mann also showed another video purporting to show Mr. Samra holding the mask that resembled Mr. Mann’s face.

He claimed, “The blackmailer holding this mask in his hand made a video by putting it on someone else.”

Mr Mann claimed the video was shot in a hotel room in Canada, adding that he had not visited that country since November 2016.

“I say that I did not take part in that video because it did not match the height and physique of the person seen in the video clip,” he said.

Mr Mann said he would announce who the producer and director of the video was in the coming days.

As the video controversy intensified, Mr Mann on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, accused opposition parties of conspiring to smear him through religious issues and denied allegations that the forensic report exonerating him was fabricated.

Haryana Police on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) arrested two persons following a complaint regarding the alleged supply of a fabricated forensic report in connection with a viral video linked to controversies involving him.

This development comes amid a political storm triggered by an objectionable video in which the Akal Takht, the highest secular body of the Sikhs, allegedly issued an edict against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on June 15.

The edict came after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj claimed that the video purportedly showing a man resembling Mr Mann had been found to be “authentic” by two forensic laboratories.

The issue stems from Mr Mann being summoned by the Akal Takht in January this year for allegedly commenting on the ‘Guru ki Golak’ (gurdwara donation box) and allegedly indulging in “objectionable activities” with images of Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in a video clip.

Opposition parties, on the other hand, have stepped up their attacks on Mr Mann, claiming that the Prime Minister is trying to undermine the authority of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs, and calling for a social boycott as well as demanding his resignation.

Congress and BJP also demanded that an FIR be registered against him under the new anti-contempt law.