Delhi Assembly Escalates Atishi Video Controversy to Privileges Committee Amid Forensic Authentication Dispute

The Delhi Legislative Assembly has formally referred the contentious Atishi video case to its Privileges Committee, marking a significant escalation in the political-legal standoff between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and Punjab law enforcement. This procedural move follows a forensic authentication dispute, wherein the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) and Jalandhar Police authorities have officially maintained that their technical analysis conclusively identified the circulated video as manipulated media. Their formal justification for registering the First Information Report (FIR) hinges on this digital forensic conclusion, coupled with the categorical assertion that the term 'Guru' was not present in the original, unaltered recording attributed to the Delhi Minister. The referral to the Privileges Committee transforms the incident from a purely law enforcement matter into a potential breach of legislative decorum and member privileges, inviting a formal parliamentary inquiry. This development underscores the deepening institutional tensions between state administrations and highlights the growing political weaponization of digital evidence. The committee's forthcoming investigation will now scrutinize the authenticity of the forensic claims, the jurisdictional rationale behind the Punjab Police's intervention, and the broader implications for inter-state relations and the legal thresholds for prosecuting alleged digital misinformation.