Viral Phone Call Between Swati Maliwal, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee Is AI-Generated

A purported recording of an alleged telephonic conversation between AAP MP Swati Maliwal and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was shared on social media with a claim that both of them talked about the assault case she filed against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the viral audio clip is AI-generated voice clones of Atishi and Rathee, and was shared on social media with a false claim.

On May 13, Swati Maliwal alleged that she was assaulted by Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the Chief Minister's residence in Delhi.

Claim

A Facebook user shared on May 25 a video of a purported call recording between AAP leader Swati Maliwal and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, in which the former can be heard saying that she was assaulted at the behest of Delhi CM's wife Sunita Kejriwal.

An English translation of the caption read, "Delhi Swati Maliwal and Dhruv Rathi's video went viral Swati Maliwal asked Dhruv Rathi not to make videos as per your request. Beating happened at the behest of Kejriwal and Sunita Ghruv makes video on opposition's agenda."

Here is the link and archive link and below is a screenshot of the same:

Investigation

The Desk listened to the audio and noticed several discrepancies in it. Also, several words were repeatedly pronounced.

Starting the investigation, the Desk ran the video through InVid Tool Search and found several keyframes. On running one of the keyframes through Google Lens, the Desk found several posts carrying the same video with similar claims.

Two such posts can be found here and here, and their archived versions of the same can be found here and here, respectively.

The video was widely shared on YouTube as well. Three such posts can be viewed here, here and here, and their archived versions can be found here, here, and here, respectively.

The Desk noticed one of the comments on the posts, claiming that the post was fake and action should be taken against it.

Below is a screenshot of the same:

The Desk again listened to the audio closely, and found that discrepancies which suggested that it might be fake or digitally created.

At 00:07 and 00:09 seconds, jump-cuts and overlaying of voices of Rathee and Maliwal can be clearly noticed.

The Desk then ran the viral video through Itisaar, an AI detection tool developed in collaboration with IIT Jodhpur. The tool confirmed that the audio was AI generated and conclusively fake with a high confidence level.

Subsequently, the Desk concluded that a fake AI-generated audio clip was shared with the claim that it was the recording of telephonic conversation between Swati Maliwal and Dhruv Rathee.

CLAIM

A purported call recording between AAP MP Swati Maliwal and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, in which they discussed the alleged physical assault on the former.

FACT

The audio clip is fake, generated using AI.

CONCLUSION

Several social media users shared a purported call recording between AAP MP Swati Maliwal and YouTuber Dhruvv Rathee. In its investigation, the Desk found that an AI-generated audio clip was shared on social media with false claim.

(This story was originally published by PTI, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)