The online furor over an intimate clip falsely linked to gaming influencer Payal Dhare , widely known as Payal Gaming , has been resolved by law enforcement after forensic analysis confirmed the footage was an AI-generated deepfake and investigators identified the person who created and circulated it.

According to the lead article by BollywoodShaadis, Payal Dhare publicly denied the clip and called the fabrication "deeply hurtful" and "dehumanising" in an Instagram post on December 17, 2025; the same report says Maharashtra Cyber officials later tracked down the creator, who identified himself as Abhishek Jadhav and issued a filmed apology, and that arrests and legal notices followed in January 2026. [1]

Maharashtra State Cyber Department analysis, dated December 19, 2025, certified that the 19-minute clip had been "tampered with and modified" and concluded it was produced using artificial intelligence. According to The Economic Times, the certificate was issued by the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department, after the clip was examined with advanced technological tools. [2]

The cyber cell's findings have been echoed by multiple national outlets. Mint and the Hindustan Times report that the department formally registered a criminal investigation following Dhare's complaint and that preliminary forensic work established the clip was not of the influencer. Those accounts say the case was pursued to identify both the uploader and the network responsible for circulation. [3][4]

Police action has been taken under a range of statutes. Mid-Day and OneIndia note that FIR No. 52/2025 was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, covering offences such as online defamation, identity fraud and the publication of sexually explicit material; some reports list specific sections including 3(5), 79 and 356(2) of the BNS, section 67 of the IT Act and relevant provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. [5][6]

Local authorities released images and a video clip on their official social channels showing one accused acknowledging responsibility and apologising to Payal Gaming and to Maharashtra Cyber; Business Connect and BollywoodShaadis report the individual disclosed his Instagram handle 'dobiga' and admitted creating the deepfake. Investigators said further arrests were expected as they map the wider distribution network. [7][1]

The episode underscores growing concerns about the misuse of AI to create intimate deepfakes that target public figures, particularly women, and the reputational and mental-health harms that follow. Industry observers quoted in coverage warn that as generative tools become more accessible, forensic capability and prompt policing will be critical to deterring abuse and to providing recourse for victims.

📌 Reference Map:

##Reference Map:

  • [1] (BollywoodShaadis) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 6
  • [2] (The Economic Times) - Paragraph 3
  • [3] (Mint) - Paragraph 4
  • [4] (Hindustan Times) - Paragraph 4
  • [5] (Mid-Day) - Paragraph 5
  • [6] (OneIndia) - Paragraph 5
  • [7] (Business Connect Magazine) - Paragraph 6

Source: Noah Wire Services