Bhubaneswar, July 7: The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police on Tuesday arrested a 19-year-old youth from Angul district for allegedly creating and circulating AI-generated obscene and defamatory content targeting high constitutional dignitaries, including Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

The accused, identified as Manoranjan Pradhan of Patakumunda village under Bagedia police station limits, was arrested in connection with a case registered at the Bhubaneswar Cyber Crime and Economic Offences Police Station on July 4. He faces charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Police said the case came to light during routine social media patrolling when officers detected objectionable content posted through the Instagram account “funny_boy_manoranjan.” Investigators found that Pradhan had uploaded AI-morphed images and reels containing vulgar gestures, obscene language, and defamatory remarks against the chief minister and other dignitaries.

According to sources, Pradhan also operated a Facebook account under his name, where he allegedly shared videos abusing constitutional authorities. Officials claimed the content was intentionally created to malign reputations and mislead youth.

The arrest comes days after another youth, aged 22, was detained for circulating morphed obscene reels featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Majhi. Police said both cases highlight the growing misuse of artificial intelligence tools for defamatory and harmful digital content.

Meanwhile, the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the government was misusing its power to suppress dissent and target individuals for social media posts. The party demanded transparency in the investigation and cautioned against curbing free expression under the guise of law enforcement.

Officials said further investigation is underway to trace the extent of Pradhan’s digital activity and whether others were involved in creating or circulating similar content.