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From misleading claims around paper leaks shared by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to a deepfake video of the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and communal claims spread by Sudharshan News, here are the viral pieces of fake news that we debunked this week.
1. Education Min Claims 'No Evidence of Paper Leaks' in 7 Years? Here Are the Facts
During the ongoing budget session of the parliament, Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan said that there was no evidence that paper leaks have happened in the past seven years.
The claim is false as there have been multiple instances of paper leaks in the past seven years, and the police have even registered cases and arrested people.
One of which being in 2021 when the UGC NET Hindi exam paper, conducted on 26 December 2021, was leaked, prompting a Haryana police team to pursue a CRPF constable linked to the incident.
Read the full story here.
2. Deepfake Video of Joe Biden Viral as His First One After Dropping Out of Race
A videoon social media of US President Joe Biden speaking to the camera has gained attention as his first video statement following his decision not to run as the Democratic Party's potential nominee in the 2024 US Presidential elections.
In this video, he can be heard speaking in an obscene manner.
However, this video is a deepfake. The original video was posted on 15 June, features Biden speaking to Americans following an assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump.
Read the full fact-check here.
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3. Sudarshan News Adds False Communal Angle to Clip of Priests Attacked in Meerut
Sudarshan News website, known for right-wing propaganda, posted a video featuring three priests in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, alleging that they are Rohingya Muslims pretending to be Hindu priests.
The claim also mentions that they were reportedly apprehended in the act of kidnapping a child.
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All three priests were from Haryana and belonged to the Nath community of the Hindu religion.
(Source: The Quint)
However, the claim is false. Meerut police have denied Sudarshan News' claims and stated that they are not Muslims but are part of the Nath community within Hinduism.
The police mentioned that these three were priests, though they typically sat down to beg. After questioning, the police let go of the three men captured in the video.
Read the full story here.
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4. Old Photo of Chinese Prez Xi Jinping Viral Amid Rumours of Him Having a Stroke
A picture of Chinese President Xi Jinping sitting at a table with his eyes closed tightly has become popular on social media.
This image is circulating online following unconfirmed speculation that Xinping had a stroke at a CCP gathering.
However, this image is not recent. The incident occurred in March 2024, when Xinping was seen responding to drinking from a cup at a meeting of the National People's Congress.
Read our story here.
5. Fact-Check: TRAI Is NOT Offering Free Recharge; Viral Message Is a Scam!
A viral claim on social media sharing a link and a screenshot appearing to be from an Indian government website has claimed that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is providing a complimentary mobile recharge to individuals.
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting clarified that this viral link is a scam.
(Source: The Quint)
However, this is not true. The website cited in the claim is a fake. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that the viral link is a scam and the claim is false.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
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