Bengaluru : Fake News cases have been increasing in Karnataka in the last three years, with Bengaluru and Uttara Kannada at the forefront. The state police have registered a total of 259 cases since 2023. 107 cases were registered in 2023, 139 in 2024 and 13 in 2025, the Home Department said. The highest number of cases were registered in Bengaluru. 48 cases were registered in 2023, 45 in 2024 and 2 in 2025.

Uttara Kannada reported 19 cases in 2023, 27 in 2024 and 3 in 2025. Although the cases are increasing, legal action against them is slow. So far, only 75 cases are under investigation and the culprits have been convicted in only six cases so far.

The issues arising from deepfake technology have also created concern in the state. The Karnataka police have registered 12 cases related to deepfake. Out of these, 7 in 2024 and 5 in 2025 (till February 28).

Cybercriminals have used AI-generated videos to deceive the public, with fake news stories featuring fake videos of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani being circulated in Bengaluru. The victims have lost a total of over Rs 83 lakh in these scams.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in Belgaum for circulating deepfake images of a woman and her friends on social media. Authorities have stepped up efforts to curb the spread of fake news. They are particularly vigilant about content that incites religious, caste or regional differences.

To detect fake accounts and misinformation, District Social Media Monitoring Unit and officers trained by State Intelligence have now been deployed in every police station in Karnataka. To curb the menace of fake news, officers will check through ‘KSP Fact Check’ and share accurate information through the department’s official website, the Home Department said.