The Verdict [Fake]
The widely circulated picture was altered using the AI tool ‘Remaker,’ replacing the woman’s original face with Sonia Gandhi’s
What is the claim?
A black-and-white photograph purportedly showing Congress leader Sonia Gandhi smoking has circulated widely on social media, with claims that it dates back to her youth. The image depicts Gandhi leaning against a pole, cigarette in hand, and wearing a head covering.
The picture was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user Bhagwa Kranti (archived here), who offered a reward for identifying the person in the photo. The caption alludes to a financial scheme mentioned in the Congress’ 2024 election manifesto, often referenced by BJP leaders and supporters. Archived versions of similar posts with the image can be found here, here, and here.
Upon investigation, however, it was discovered that Sonia Gandhi’s face has been digitally superimposed onto an original photo first uploaded to Tumblr in 2013.
What we found
The alteration appears to have been made using ‘Remaker,’ an AI content generator tool known for its ability to manipulate images and videos. A visible ‘Remaker’ watermark in the bottom left corner of the viral image suggests that the facial features were digitally altered.
Further scrutiny revealed discrepancies in the photo’s composition, particularly noticeable in the unrealistic sheen on Gandhi’s face, a common artefact of AI-generated images.
A reverse image search led to an identical photo on Tumblr (archived here), originally credited to photographer Farzad Sarfarazi in 2012, titled ‘Ghazal.’ This original image clearly shows a different woman, not Gandhi, and includes Sarfarazi’s watermark.
Similar versions of the photo crediting Sarfarazi have surfaced on other platforms like Instagram and X, claiming it was taken in Iran. However, the exact location and the identity of the woman in the photograph remain unverified.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
The verdict
Our investigation confirms that the image allegedly depicting Sonia Gandhi smoking has been digitally altered. The face in the original photo was replaced using Remaker, an AI tool designed for creative content manipulation.
(Translated by Vanita Ganesh)
Reference Links
Remaker – Refutes
Tumblr – Refutes
Vesvesaire- Instagram – Refutes
This article is written by Mohammad Salman and republished from Logically Facts. Read the original article here.
Also read | Diet sodas are not generally unsafe, and a study didn’t find they increased the risk of heart disease
Important fact-check! With AI-generated images spreading so fast, it’s crucial to verify sources. On a related note — when I download reference images for my own AI detection research, I often get HEIC files from iPhone screenshots that don’t open in standard image analysis tools. For quick batch conversion to JPG before running them through detection software, I use File Convert Factory. It’s a free online tool that works in the browser, no install needed, and handles images, PDFs, video, and audio. Useful for anyone working with media verification. Has anyone else tried it?