#FactCheck- Edited Navbharat Times Postcard Falsely Attributes Statement on Gold Sales to PM Modi
Executive Summary
A postcard carrying the logo of Navbharat Times and featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being widely shared on social media. The postcard quotes Modi as allegedly saying, “The gold of this country will be used for the people of this country. Gold is being sold to save the economy. If this is not done, the country's industrialists will be ruined and people will suffer from unemployment.”Based on this postcard, users are claiming that Prime Minister Modi justified the sale of the country's gold reserves by saying it was necessary to protect the economy and prevent industrialists from facing losses. However, CyberPeace Research Wing research found that Prime Minister Modi never made such a statement. The viral Navbharat Times postcard has been digitally edited.
Claim
An X user with the handle “Brainwash” shared the postcard and wrote: “Sir, have you kept the PM CARES Fund for your own household? Take back the money distributed to industrialists. People should not fall for these claims. Everything they say is false and mere rhetoric.”
https://x.com/Bhawanipm/status/2062259463084785666
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we conducted keyword searches related to the purported statement. However, we found no credible reports, speeches, interviews, or official records in which Prime Minister Modi made such remarks about selling the country's gold reserves. We then examined the viral postcard and searched the social media handles of Navbharat Times for the original post. During this process, we found a similar postcard published on the Facebook page of Navbharat Times Uttar Pradesh on May 16, 2026. The design, layout, and image matched the viral postcard. However, the original post carried a completely different quote attributed to Prime Minister Modi.
The original postcard quoted Modi as saying: “This decade is becoming a decade of disasters for the world.”
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1505172121619709&set=a.685493923587537
Conclusion
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not made any statement claiming that the country's gold is being sold to save the economy or to protect industrialists from losses. The viral Navbharat Times postcard has been digitally edited, and the quote attributed to Modi is fabricated.
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Introduction:
Welcome to the third edition of our blog on digital forensics series. In our previous blog we discussed the difference between copying, cloning, and imaging in the context of Digital Forensics, and found out why imaging is a better process. Today we will discuss the process of evidence collection in Digital Forensics. The whole process starts with making sure the evidence collection team has all necessary tools required for the task.
Investigating Tools and Equipment:
Below are some mentioned tools that the team should carry with them for a successful evidence collection:
- Anti-static bags
- Faraday bags
- Toolkit having screwdrivers(nonmagnetic), scissors, pins, cutters, forceps, clips etc.
- Rubber gloves
- Incident response toolkit (Software)
- Converter/Adapter: USB, SATA, IDE, SCSI
- Imaging software
- Volatile data collection tools (FTK Imager, Magnet Forensics RAM Capture)
- Pens, permanent markers
- Storage containers
- Batteries
- Video cameras
- Note/sketch pads
- Blank storage media
- Write-Blocker device
- Labels
- Crime scene security tapes
- Camera
What sources of Data are necessary for Digital Evidence?
- Hard-Drive (Desktop, Laptop, External, Server)
- Flash Drive
- SD Cards
- Floppy Disks
- Optical Media (CD, DVD)
- CCTV/DVR
- Internal Storage of Mobile Device
- GPS (Mobile/Car)
- Call Site Track (Towers)
- RAM
Evidence Collection
The investigators encounter two primary types of evidence during the course of gathering evidence: non-electronic and electronic evidence.
The following approaches could be used to gather non-electronic evidence:
- In the course of looking into electronic crimes, recovering non-electronic evidence can be extremely important. Be cautious to make sure that this kind of evidence is retrieved and kept safe. Items that may be relevant to a later review of electronic evidence include passwords, papers or printouts, calendars, literature, hardware and software manuals, text or graphical computer printouts, and photos. These items should be secured and kept for further examination.
- They are frequently found close to the computer or other related hardware. Locating, securing, and preserving all evidence is required by departmental procedures.
Three scenarios arise for the collection of digital evidence from computers:
Situation 1: The desktop is visible, and the monitor is on.
- Take a picture of the screen and note the data that is visible.
- Utilize tools for memory capturing to gather volatile data.
- Look for virtual disks. If so, gather mounted data's logical copies.
- Give each port and connection a label.
- Take a picture of them.
- Turn off network access to stop remote access.
- Cut off the power or turn it off.
- Locate and disconnect the hard drive by opening the CPU chassis.
- Take all evidence and place it in anti-magnetic (Faraday) bags.
- Deliver the evidence to the forensic lab.
- Keep the chain of custody intact.
Situation 2: The monitor is turned on, but it either has a blank screen (sleep mode) or an image for the screensaver.
- Make a small mouse movement (without pressing buttons). The work product should appear on the screen, or it should ask for a password.
- If moving the mouse does not result in a change to the screen, stop using the mouse and stop all keystrokes.
- Take a picture of the screen and note the data that is visible.
- Use memory capturing tools to gather volatile data (always use a write blocker to prevent manipulation during data collection).
- Proceed further in accordance with Situation 1.
Situation 3: The Monitor Is Off
- Write down the "off" status.
- After turning on the monitor, check to see if its status matches that of situations 1 or 2 above, and then take the appropriate action.
- Using a phone modem, cable, confirm that you are connected to the outside world. Try to find the phone number if there is a connection to the phone.
- To protect evidence, take out the floppy disks that might be there, package each disk separately, and label the evidence. Put in a blank floppy disk or a seizure disk, if one is available. Avoid touching the CD drive or taking out CDs.
- Cover the power connector and every drive slot with tape.
- Note the serial number, make, and model.
- Take a picture of the computer's connections and make a diagram with the relevant cables.
- To enable precise reassembly at a later date, label all connectors and cable ends, including connections to peripheral devices. Put "unused" on any connection ports that are not in use. Recognize docking stations for laptop computers in an attempt to locate additional storage media.
- All evidence should be seized and placed in anti-magnetic (Faraday) bags.
- All evidence should be seized and placed in anti-magnetic (Faraday) bags.
- Put a tag or label on every bag.
- Deliver the evidence to the forensic lab.
- Keep the chain of custody intact.
Following the effective gathering of data, the following steps in the process are crucial: data packaging, data transportation, and data storage.
The following are the steps involved in data packaging, transportation, and storage:
Packaging:
- Label every computer system that is gathered so that it can be put back together exactly as it was found
When gathering evidence at a scene of crime,
- Before packing, make sure that every piece of evidence has been appropriately labeled and documented.
- Latent or trace evidence requires particular attention, and steps should be taken to preserve it.
- Use paper or antistatic plastic bags for packing magnetic media to prevent static electricity. Do not use materials like regular plastic bags (instead use faraday bags) that can cause static electricity.
- Be careful not to bend, fold, computer media like tapes, or CD-ROM.
- Make sure that the labels on every container used to store evidence are correct.
Transporting
- Make sure devices are not packed in containers and are safely fastened inside the car to avoid shock and excessive vibrations. Computers could be positioned on the floor of the car,and monitors could be mounted on the seat with the screen down .
When transporting evidence—
- Any electronic evidence should be kept away from magnetic sources. Radiation transmitters, speaker magnets, and heated seats are a few examples of items that can contaminate electronic evidence.
- Avoid leaving electronic evidence in your car for longer than necessary. Electronic devices can be harmed by extremes in temperature, humidity.
- Maintain the integrity of the chain of custody while transporting any evidence.
Storing
- Evidence should be kept safe and away from extremes in humidity and temperature. Keep it away from dust, moisture, magnetic devices, and other dangerous impurities. Be advised that extended storage may cause important evidence—like dates, times, and system configurations—to disappear. Because batteries have a finite lifespan, data loss may occur if they malfunction. Whenever the battery operated device needs immediate attention, it should be informed to the relevant authority (eg., the chief of laboratory, the forensic examiner, and the custodian of the evidence).
CONCLUSION:
Thus, securing the crime scene to packaging, transportation and storage of data are the important steps in the process of collecting digital evidence in forensic investigations. Keeping the authenticity during the process along with their provenance is critical during this phase. It is also important to ensure the admissibility of evidence in legal proceedings. This systematic approach is essential for effectively investigating and prosecuting digital crimes.
Executive Summary
A video is being widely shared on social media and linked to protests that allegedly took place in Lucknow after the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.Users claim that police in the capital of Uttar Pradesh baton-charged people who were protesting against the United States and Israel. The video is being widely circulated across social media platforms with this claim. However, research by CyberPeace found the claim to be false. Our verification revealed that the video is not from Lucknow but from Bareilly, and it is related to an incident that took place on September 26, 2025, when Uttar Pradesh Police baton-charged protesters during a rally held in support of the “I Love Mohammad” campaign.
Claim Post:
On March 3, 2026, an X (formerly Twitter) user shared the viral video claiming that the Uttar Pradesh Police took action against people blocking roads in Lucknow and creating unrest in support of Ali Khamenei.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted key frames from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found a similar video posted on Instagram on September 26, 2025, indicating that the footage predates the current claim.
Further research led us to the same video on the website of Aaj Tak, where it was published on September 26, 2025.
According to the report, protests erupted in Bareilly after Friday prayers over a controversy related to “I Love Mohammad” posters. Hundreds of people took to the streets carrying banners and posters. The report further stated that protesters, responding to a call by cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza, attempted to break police barricades and move forward. Police initially tried to persuade the crowd to disperse, but when the situation escalated and the crowd refused to back down, officers resorted to baton-charging to control the situation. The incident reportedly led to tension in the area.
Conclusion:
Our research found that the viral video being shared as police action on protesters in Lucknow after the alleged killing of Ali Khamenei is misleading. The footage is actually from Bareilly and shows a police baton-charge during a protest rally held on September 26, 2025 in support of the “I Love Mohammad” campaign.
Executive Summary
A video circulating on social media falsely claims that Air India has cancelled all of its international flights until July due to a fuel shortage. However, research conducted by CyberPeace Research Wing found the claim to be misleading and false. Our research revealed that Air India has made no announcement regarding the cancellation of all international flights. In reality, the airline has only made temporary reductions and adjustments on select international routes due to increasing operational pressure and the impact on profitability.
Claim
An X (formerly Twitter) user shared the viral video on May 3, 2026, claiming: “Due to a fuel shortage, Air India has cancelled all its international flights until July.”he post quickly gained attention and was widely shared on social media platforms.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we examined the official social media accounts of Air India. During the research, we found a post on X in which the airline itself described the viral claim as fake and misleading.
Taking the research further, we searched using relevant keywords and found a report published by ETNOW Swadesh on May 13, 2026. According to the report, Air India has not cancelled all international flights. Instead, due to mounting operational costs and pressure on profitability, the airline has temporarily reduced or modified services on a few select international routes.
Conclusion
Our research found that Air India has not announced the cancellation of all international flights until July. The viral claim circulating on social media is false and misleading. The airline has only implemented temporary adjustments and reductions on certain international routes, not a complete suspension of global operations.
