Fact-Check: Viral Videos Misidentify Woman Linked to BJP Leader's Controversy

Controversial Videos Surface Amid Arrest of BJP Leader

Hyderabad: Following the arrest of BJP leader Manohar Lal Dhakad for inappropriate behavior with a woman outside a vehicle, two videos claiming to show Lubna Qureshi have gained traction on social media. Dhakad, a local politician from Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, faces charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). However, a fact-check has confirmed that these videos, which allege to depict Qureshi in a compromising position with Dhakad on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, are misleading.

In the first video circulating on X, a woman accuses law enforcement of misconduct. The post is captioned, “यही हैं वो मनोहरलाल धाकड़ के साथ हाईवे वाली लुबना कुरैशी अब रो रही हैं ये पहले सोचना चाहिए था रोड़ शो करने से पहले!”

FACT-CHECK: The video was initially shared by a regional media outlet on August 23, 2024. A report from another media source published last August clarifies that the woman featured is Monika Rajpurohit, popularly known as ‘Bikaner Ki Sherni’. She is a social media influencer from Bikaner, Rajasthan, and has no connection to Dhakad.

Additionally, another video featuring a woman in a hijab has been misattributed to Lubna Qureshi. This clip includes the caption, “मेरा जिस्म मेरी मर्जी, मै धन्दा करू तुम्हें क्या ? #LubnaQureshi हाइवे फिल्म की हीरोइन पर्दानशी लुबना कुरैशी को बेपर्दा ना कर दूं तो मेरा नाम मनोहर लाल धाकड़ नहीं।”

FACT-CHECK: Analysis of this video indicates it is from 2023 and originates from Pakistan, showing a hijab-clad woman engaged in a dispute with a man.

While the media has not been able to independently verify the specifics of the viral videos, it is clear that the claims linking Lubna Qureshi to the incident involving Dhakad are unfounded.