Barmer: In a swift move, the Barmer district administration has revoked a district-level award previously conferred on Dinesh Manju, following revelations of his involvement in a deepfake video scandal targeting Bayana MLA Dr. Ritu Banawat. The decision was taken under the directives of District Collector Tina Dabi, based on a detailed report submitted by the Superintendent of Police.
The controversy erupted after Dr. Banawat publicly expressed her outrage, highlighting that Manju—against whom she had filed an FIR for tarnishing her image through a deepfake video—was ironically being honored by the administration on Republic Day. Her allegations quickly sparked public debate and raised serious questions over the award selection process, drawing widespread attention on social media.
Responding decisively, Collector Tina Dabi requested a thorough report from the Barmer SP. The investigation confirmed that Dinesh Manju of Sedwa was indeed facing serious charges under the Bayana Police jurisdiction in Bharatpur. Acting on the findings, the Collector ordered the immediate withdrawal of the commendation and district-level honor from Manju.
The deepfake video case, dating back to January 2024, involved the misuse of Dr. Banawat’s photo and name in an objectionable social media reel. The incident was grave enough to prompt the Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly, Vasudev Devnani, to seek a formal report from the Bharatpur IG. The MLA had accused the accused of using advanced technology to deliberately defame her political and social reputation.
While the administration has rectified the error by revoking the award, the incident has cast a spotlight on the functioning of selection committees, raising serious questions about how awards were conferred without proper police verification.
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