The political row over a video linked to Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition Atishi has taken a fresh turn after Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said a forensic science laboratory report has found the clip to be original and free from any tampering.
#BREAKING | Former Chief Minister Atishi's remarks on Guru Tegh Bahadur row escalates: "Forensic lab found video original" : Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta makes forensic report public
NDTV's @Verma__Ishika joins @DishhaBagchi with more details pic.twitter.com/iGzMMb38Rb— NDTV (@ndtv) January 17, 2026
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, 17th January, Gupta said the video was sent for forensic examination on 8th January after a demand from the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). According to him, the report clearly states that Atishi’s remarks in the clip match frame by frame and that there was no editing or manipulation.
“The forensic report says the statement attributed to Atishi is present in the video exactly as it is. There is no tampering,” the Speaker said, rejecting earlier claims made by police in AAP-ruled Punjab that the video had been doctored.
The controversy began after a discussion in the Delhi Assembly on 6th January related to a Delhi government programme organised last year to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. During the debate, Atishi allegedly made remarks disrespecting Sikh gurus.
The video of Atishi’s comments was shared by BJP leader Kapil Mishra, with AAP leaders claiming it to be fake. The party claimed that Atishi did not use the word “Guru” or “Guruon”.
Earlier, Punjab Police had said their forensic test showed the clip was edited and even registered an FIR in Jalandhar over its circulation. The matter took another turn when AAP’s chief whip in the Delhi Assembly, Sanjiv Jha, demanded action for breach of privilege against Delhi minister Kapil Mishra for sharing the video on social media.
Gupta, however, accused the AAP government of acting in haste. He said the Punjab government conducted its own forensic test quickly and went on to register an FIR based on that report.
The Speaker announced that he would seek a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe not only into the entire episode but also into how the forensic examination was carried out by the Punjab government.
The Speaker also referred to a recent order by a court in Jalandhar, clarifying that it was interim in nature. The court had directed the removal of the video clip, which Punjab Police claimed was edited. Gupta said the Delhi Assembly has demanded explanations from senior police officers in Punjab over the issue of breach of privilege.
Atishi has accused the BJP of dragging the name of the ninth Sikh Guru into political battles and indulging in petty politics. After the controversy erupted, she did not attend subsequent sittings of the Delhi Assembly.
With conflicting forensic claims, police action across states, and now a demand for a CBI probe, the issue has widened into a full-blown political confrontation between the BJP and AAP, with no immediate sign of the row cooling down.