#FactCheck - Fake Image Claiming Patanjali selling Beef Biryani Recipe mix is Misleading
Executive Summary:
A photo that has gone viral on social media alleges that the Indian company Patanjali founded by Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev is selling a product called “Recipe Mix for Beef Biryani”. The image incorporates Ramdev’s name in its promotional package. However, upon looking into the matter, CyberPeace Research Team revealed that the viral image is not genuine. The original image was altered and it has been wrongly claimed which does not even exist. Patanjali is an Indian brand designed for vegetarians and an intervention of Ayurveda. For that reason, the image in context is fake and misleading.
Claims:
An image circulating on social media shows Patanjali selling "Recipe Mix for Beef Biryani”.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the viral image, the CyberPeace Research Team immediately conducted an in-depth investigation. A reverse image search revealed that the viral image was taken from an unrelated context and digitally altered to be associated with the fabricated packaging of "National Recipe Mix for Biryani".
The analysis of the image confirmed signs of manipulation. Patanjali, a well-established Indian brand known for its vegetarian products, has no record of producing or promoting a product called “Recipe mix for Beef Biryani”. We also found a similar image with the product specified as “National Biryani” in another online store.
Comparing both photos, we found that there are several differences.
Further examination of Patanjali's product catalog and public information verified that this viral image is part of a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation, likely to damage the reputation of the brand and its founder. The entire claim is based on a falsified image aimed at provoking controversy, and therefore, is categorically false.
Conclusions:
The viral image associating Patanjali and Baba Ramdev with "Recipe mix for Beef Biryani" is entirely fake. This image was deliberately manipulated to spread false information and damage the brand’s reputation. Social media users are encouraged to fact-check before sharing any such claims, as the spread of misinformation can have significant consequences. The CyberPeace Research Team emphasizes the importance of verifying information before circulating it to avoid spreading false narratives.
- Claim: Patanjali and Baba Ramdev endorse "Recipe mix for Beef Biryani"
- Claimed on: X
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
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Introduction
India is making strides in developing its own quantum communication capabilities, despite being a latecomer compared to nations like China and the US. In the digital age, quantum communication is gradually becoming one of the most important technologies for national security. It promises to transform secure data exchange across government, financial, and military systems by enabling unhackable communication channels through quantum concepts like entanglement and superposition. Scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and IIT Delhi recently demonstrated quantum communication over a distance of over one kilometre in free space. One significant step at a time, India's quantum roadmap is beginning to take shape thanks to strategic partnerships between top research institutes and defence organisations.
Recent Developments
- In February 2022, by DRDO and IIT Delhi, a 100 km Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link was established between Prayagraj and Vindhyachal using pre-existing commercial-grade optical fibre, with secure key rates of up to 10 kHz. This proved that using India's current telecom infrastructure to implement quantum-secure communication is feasible.
- Scientists at DRDO finished testing a 6-qubit superconducting quantum processor in August 2024, showing complete system integration by submitting quantum circuits through a cloud interface, running them on quantum hardware, and updating the results.
- A free-space QKD demonstration over over 1 km was conducted in June 2025, with a secure key rate of approximately 240 bits/s and a Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) of less than 7%. A crucial step towards satellite-based and defence-grade secure networks, this successful outdoor trial demonstrates that quantum-secure communication is now feasible in actual atmospheric conditions.
- India is looking to space as well. Since 2017, the Raman Research Institute (RRI) and ISRO have been collaborating on satellite-based QKD, with funding totalling more than ₹15 crore. In 2025, a specialised QKD-enabled satellite called SAQTI (Secured Applications using Quantum and optical Technologies by ISRO) is anticipated to go into orbit. The initiative's foundation has already been established by ground-based quantum encryption trials up to 300 meters.
- In India, private companies such as QNu Labs are assisting in the commercialisation of quantum communication. QNu, which was founded at IIT Madras, has created the plug-and-play QKD module Armos, the quantum random number generator (QRNG)Tropos, and the integrated platform QShield, which combines QKD, QRNG, and post-quantum cryptography (PQC).
Where India Stands Globally
India is still in its infancy when compared to China's 2,000 km Beijing–Shanghai QKD network and its satellite-based communication accomplishments. Leading nations like the US, UK, and Singapore are also ahead of the curve, concentrating on operationalising QKD trials for government systems and incorporating post-quantum cryptography (PQC) into national infrastructure.
However, considering the nation's limited prior exposure to quantum technologies, India's progress is noteworthy for its rapid pace and indigenous innovation.
Policy Challenges and Priorities
- Strong policy support is required to match India's efforts in quantum communication. The standardisation of PQC algorithms and their incorporation into digital public infrastructure have to be major priorities.
- Scaling innovation from lab to deployment through public-private partnership
- Accelerating satellite QKD to establish a secure communications ecosystem owned by India.
- International standards compliance and worldwide interoperability for secure quantum protocols.
Conclusion
India has made timely strides in quantum communication, spearheaded by DRDO, IITs, and ISRO. Establishing unbreakable communication systems will be essential to national security as digital infrastructure becomes more and more integrated into governance and economic life. India can establish itself as a significant player in the developing quantum-secure world with consistent investment, well-coordinated policy, and international collaboration.
References
- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/quantum-communication-iit-delhi-drdo-entanglement-qkd-explained/article69705017.ece
- https://drdo.gov.in/drdo/quantum-technologies
- https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/the-end-of-hacking-how-isro-and-drdo-are-building-an-unhackable-quantum-future-2743715-2025-06-22
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2136702
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1800648
- https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/08/29/indias-drdo-scientists-complete-testing-of-6-qubit-superconducting-quantum-processor/
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2077600
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2121617
- https://www.rri.res.in/news/quic-lab-achieves-next-step-towards-realising-secure-satellite-based-quantum-communication#:~:text=QuIC%20lab%20achieves%20the%20next,transactions%2Dsafe%2D2561836.html
- https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/post-quantum-government-initiatives-by-country-and-region/
- https://tech.hindustantimes.com/tech/news/rri-demonstrates-secure-satellite-based-quantum-communication-in-collaboration-with-isro-71680375748247.html
Executive Summary
A video showing a monkey dramatically rescuing a child hanging from a balcony is being widely shared on social media. In the clip, a small child appears to be on the verge of falling when a monkey suddenly arrives, grabs the child, and saves them from falling. Many users praised the monkey’s bravery, while some even described it as a miracle. Research by CyberPeace Research Wing found that the viral video is not real and was created using AI technology before being shared with misleading claims.
Claim
An X user shared the video claiming that a monkey saved a child from falling off a balcony just in time, astonishing onlookers with its intelligence and quick action. The post described the monkey’s act as heroic and compassionate.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During this process, we found the same video uploaded on April 16, 2026 by an Instagram account named Instagram user mojilo_vandro. The caption described the scene as a “miracle of God.”
A closer review of the account revealed several similar monkey-themed videos. More importantly, the account bio clearly states that it creates AI-based fictional content. We also analyzed the clip using AI detection tool Hive Moderation, which assessed the video as having a 97.6% probability of being AI-generated
Conclusion
Our research confirms that the viral video of a monkey saving a child hanging from a balcony does not depict a real incident. It was digitally created using AI and shared online with misleading claims.
Introduction
On August 8, 2026, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar posted an unusual warning on X: colourful posters offering a "handsome guy" to join you for coffee or a movie at 50% off: it was not a quirky dating startup but a calculated cyber fraud. Within hours, the "Rent Boyfriend" alert had gone viral, pulling back the curtain on a scam that blends India's growing loneliness economy, classic confidence tricks, and AI-generated imagery. Here is what's actually happening, why it works, and how to protect yourself.
A Trend Growing Fast: In India and Worldwide
Paid-companionship culture itself isn't new. "Rent a friend" services began in Japan and later China, where apps let people hire a company for a movie, a walk, or a family event without romantic or sexual expectations. The idea reached India as early as 2018, when Mumbai's "Rent A Guy" app began recruiting men for casual outings; by 2022, similar pages like "Toy Boy" and "Hire a Friend" had spread to Bengaluru, and Valentine's Day 2025 saw ₹389 "rent a boyfriend" posters plastered across the city. Fraudsters have now hijacked this recognisable, socially normalised idea and weaponised it: the Hyderabad ads promised specific packages, ₹499 for a coffee date, ₹1,249 for a movie, ₹1,999 for a wedding, and ₹4,499 for ten hours collected via QR codes and wallets, then vanished. The underlying numbers show why this template is so attractive to criminals. Complaints filed on India's National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal jumped from roughly 4.5 lakh in 2021 to about 2.3 million by 2026, and the country now logs an estimated 4,000-plus cybercrime complaints a day. Globally, romance and "confidence fraud" are some of the costliest online crimes: the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 23,159 romance-fraud complaints in 2025 worth $929.3 million, which is a 38% jump over 2024, while the UK logged over £102 million in losses and Australia and Canada reported tens of millions more. Crucially, IC3's 2025 report flagged AI as an accelerant for the first time, attributing roughly $19 million in romance-scam losses directly to AI-generated profiles, images and chat exactly the "AI-generated photographs" Hyderabad Police say the Rent Boyfriend network used.
Case Studies
The Rent Boyfriend network is one data point in a wider, well-documented pattern in India:
- Hyderabad, August 2026: Fraudsters ran Instagram, Telegram and Facebook pages using stock or AI-generated photos of "attractive men", collected advance payments and security deposits, and then blocked victims, the case that prompted this advisory.
- Jaipur, 2026: A honey-trap and extortion ring allegedly used AI-manipulated videos and images to blackmail a businessman out of nearly ₹90 lakh, with police examining how far synthetic media was used to fabricate compromising content.
- Mumbai: A gang was arrested for cheating a woman out of ₹16.18 lakh in gold and cash after promising to "reunite" her with a lost partner, a variant that exploits the same emotional vulnerability through a different pretext.
- Gujarat, 2025: A social media influencer with over 10 lakh followers was arrested for allegedly honey-trapping and blackmailing a builder, illustrating how organised such rackets have become.
These sit alongside a global backdrop where FBI data shows confidence and romance fraud disproportionately drains people over 60 (63% of US losses in 2025) even as India's version increasingly targets young women and students, a sign the tactic is being localised for different demographics rather than disappearing.
Why It Works: The Psychology of Loneliness and Grooming
Researchers who study romance-fraud victims consistently find that loneliness, a tendency toward idealised romantic beliefs, and a need for social connection are the strongest predictors of victimisation. Scammers exploit this through a well-rehearsed grooming arc: rapid, excessive flattery ("love bombing") to create instant intimacy; mirroring the target's interests and values to seem like a perfect match; gently discouraging outside opinions so doubts don't surface; and only then introducing a financial ask, framed as something small and reasonable — a booking fee or a security deposit precisely because it feels low-stakes compared to a direct cash demand. The "package" pricing in the Rent Boyfriend ads (₹499 for coffee, scaling up to ₹4,499) mimics legitimate e-commerce, which lowers a target's guard further. Once payment is made and blocked, many victims feel too embarrassed to report it — a shame response researchers and police repeatedly flag as the biggest reason such scams are under-reported.
Red Flags and What To Do?
Red flags to watch for:
- Companionship or dating offers with attractive stock/AI-style photos and steep "discounts"
- Contact only through DMs, with no verifiable business identity, address or reviews.
- Requests for advance payment, "security deposits", or booking fees via UPI/QR code before any service is delivered.
- Reluctance to do a video call or a video call that looks slightly off (a common AI/deepfake tell).
- Pressure to move fast, share personal photos, or keep the interaction secret from friends and family.
Precautions:
- Never send money to confirm a booking with an unverified individual or page.
- Avoid sharing personal photographs, phone numbers, addresses or financial details with strangers online.
- Don't meet anyone in person whom you've only interacted with through such ads.
- Parents should stay engaged with what their children see and who they talk to on social media.
If you suspect a scam or have lost money: Don't panic and don't pay more to "fix" it. Stop all contact, save screenshots and payment records, and call the 1930 cybercrime helpline or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in immediately — reporting within the first "golden hour" significantly improves the chance of freezing transferred funds before they're withdrawn.
The Government, Platform and Legal Angle
India already has legal tools for this, though enforcement lags the pace of the fraud. Cheating by personation online is punishable under Section 66D of the IT Act, 2000 (up to three years' imprisonment plus fine), often paired with Section 66C on identity theft; the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita's cheating provisions (replacing IPC Sections 420/419) apply where money is dishonestly induced. Under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2021, platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Telegram must appoint a grievance officer, acknowledge complaints within 24 hours, and take down unlawful content within 36 hours of a court or government notification obligation. Hyderabad's cybercrime wing can invoke to force the removal of these ad networks. Larger "significant social media intermediaries" carry added duties around traceability and proactive monitoring.
The gap is upstream: platforms currently do little to verify who is running a commercial-sounding page before it reaches thousands of users, and AI-generated "profile" images are not systematically flagged. A stronger response would combine faster platform-side KYC for pages soliciting payment, proactive detection of AI-generated advertising imagery, and continued expansion of the 1930 golden-hour fund-freezing mechanism paired with public advisories like Hyderabad's, which remain one of the fastest ways to blunt a scam before it scales.
Conclusion
Loneliness is not something anyone should be ashamed of, but it is exactly what these networks are built to exploit. No genuine companionship service needs an advance QR payment before you've even met the person.
Sources
- Deccan Herald — Hyderabad Police Commissioner cautions young women over 'rent boyfriend' offers
- Republic World — 'Rent Boyfriend' Offers On Social Media?
- Newsdrum — What is 'Rent Boyfriend' trap?
- IndiaSpend — How India's Cyber Crime Incidence Is Rising
- FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report Brochure
