New Delhi: Delhi Police is investigating what it describes as a potentially coordinated online campaign linked to the recent student protests at Jantar Mantar. The inquiry has expanded beyond social media activity to include financial transactions, digital marketing networks and the role of overseas online accounts in amplifying protest related content.
According to the investigation, police are examining around 180 influencer and YouTuber accounts, nearly three private digital marketing companies and more than 400 social media handles that investigators allege have links to Pakistan. Authorities are assessing whether these accounts worked in a coordinated manner to amplify selected content and create the perception of a much larger nationwide crisis than the events on the ground.
Officials have clarified that the investigation is ongoing and no influencer, company or social media account has been publicly identified or charged. The findings currently form part of the police’s line of inquiry and have not been tested before a court.
Investigators are also analysing patterns of online activity, focusing on overseas accounts that were allegedly active during previous periods of heightened digital engagement, including around Operation Sindoor. Police suspect the reappearance of similar accounts during the Jantar Mantar protests could point to a sustained effort by foreign linked networks to exploit domestic issues and deepen social and political tensions.
The probe has further expanded to examine possible financial links behind the alleged campaign. Authorities are looking into indirect payment methods, including peer to peer cryptocurrency transfers, affiliate advertising credits, third party consultancy arrangements and other funding channels that may leave little conventional financial evidence.
Police are also studying how online narratives spread rapidly through social media algorithms. Investigators are assessing whether misleading content, edited videos, deepfakes or exaggerated claims were repeatedly shared across multiple platforms, including Instagram, X and YouTube, with the possible use of artificial intelligence tools to generate several versions of similar content.
According to investigators, the primary focus is to determine whether there was deliberate and coordinated amplification intended to transform a limited protest into a wider online campaign capable of influencing public opinion and increasing tensions. The investigation remains underway, and authorities have not announced any final conclusions or charges.
