WebQoof Recap: Misinformation Around Macron’s India Visit & AI Visuals
Here are the viral pieces of fake news that went viral this week!
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From misinformation surrounding the Bangladesh elections and French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India, to an AI-generated image falsely linking Sonia Gandhi with Jeffrey Epstein, here are the viral claims we fact-checked this week.
1. AI-Generated Clip Showing Prez Macron Blaming India for Rafale Deal Losses Viral
Amid French President Emmanuel Macron's official visit to India from 17 to 19 February, a video that shows France rejecting India’s proposal for a comprehensive defence partnership is being shared on social media.
The video, showing Macron speaking at a podium and Prime Minister Narendra Modi standing beside him, alleged that the decision followed a sharp drop in Dassault Aviation's stock price and cited “inefficiency within the Indian Air Force” as the reason.
No, the claim is false as this video is created using AI. We found no credible reports or official statements to prove the validity of the claim.
Read the story here.
2. This Image of Congress’ Sonia Gandhi With Jeffrey Epstein Is AI-Generated
An image of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi shaking hands with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during what appears to be a conference is being circulated on social media platforms as a real visual.
However, the claim is false as this image is AI-generated and not a real incident, as claimed.
Read the fact-check here.
3. Does This Video Show Indian & Pakistan Fans Fighting in Sri Lanka? No, It’s AI!
After India win against Pakistan in the group stage of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, a video which shows a man recording a fight between the fans of both the teams is now being circulated as recent and real visuals.
However, the claim is false as the video has been generated using the help of AI tools and does not show real visuals.
Read the full fact-check here.
4. Old Video of Ballot Papers Being Counted Falsely Linked to 2026 Bangladesh Polls
A video showing a group of people sitting on the floor and counting ballot papers is being circulated on social media with claims that it captures vote counting in the Gazipur-2 constituency during the recently concluded 2026 Bangladesh elections.
However, the viral clip is old and not linked to the recent polls in Bangladesh.
Read the story here.
5. Old Video Falsely Shared as Rajpal Yadav Thanking Salman Khan After Getting Bail
A video of actor Rajpal Yadav, who was lodged in Tihar Jail over a loan default case, is being circulated on social media with claims that he was recently released on bail and thanked actor Salman Khan for helping him, describing him as one of the best people in the industry.
However, the video is old from 2018 and shows Yadav talking about Khan after he was granted bail for poaching an endangered black buck in 1998.
Read the full fact-check here.
(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.)