Fact Check: Viral Newspaper Clip Alleging Arvind Kejriwal’s Involvement in 1980s Rape Case Declared Fake

A newspaper clipping circulating on social media, purportedly published by The Telegraph on June 8, 1987, with the headline ‘IIT student accused of rape,’ has been debunked as fake. The clip falsely implicates Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the accused in the alleged rape case.

According to the fabricated report, a survivor lodged a complaint against Kejriwal at a local police station, claiming he was detained after police found him hiding in his hostel room at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus. The article mentions Kejriwal, then a 19-year-old student, had allegedly gone out with friends for a party but failed to return to the hostel.

This misleading newspaper clip resurfaced ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections in February 2020, as well as in 2016. However, it was previously debunked by fact-checking agencies like BOOM and The Quint.

BOOM’s investigation revealed discrepancies in the article’s style sheet, indicating it was likely fabricated using an online newspaper clip generator. Additionally, a comparison with a clip created by BOOM on the same generator revealed identical text in the third column, further confirming its fraudulent nature.

Furthermore, Arvind Kejriwal’s affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India asserts he has not been convicted of any criminal offense. Delhi Police declined to comment on the matter.

It’s worth noting that the same newspaper clip generator website was also used to fabricate a false news report alleging Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s possession of banned drugs and unaccounted cash.

In light of these findings, the circulating newspaper clip alleging Arvind Kejriwal’s involvement in a 1980s rape case is unequivocally declared fake.

This report was originally published by BOOM, as part of the Shakti Collective, with minor modifications made for clarity and conciseness.