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An FIR has been registered against YouTuber Elvish Yadav for posting a misleading video claiming that he was escorted by the Rajasthan Police for a music video shoot in Jaipur, officials said on Wednesday.
The police have dismissed his claim, stating that no official security was provided to Yadav and a case has been registered against him for trying to damage the reputation of Rajasthan Police.
The controversy erupted on Monday after Yadav uploaded a video on social media where he was seen travelling in a car driven by Krishnavardhan Singh Khachariyawas, son of former Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas.
In the video, a police vehicle was seen moving ahead of Krishnavardhan's car with Yadav claiming that that police was escorting them. During their conversation, Krishnavardhan says that the police vehicles would change as they moved through different jurisdictions.
The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
However, the Rajasthan Police has rejected these claims.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said that no such escort was provided to the YouTuber. "An FIR has been registered against him in the matter."
Additional Commissioner of Police Rameshwar Singh also said that Yadav was not assigned any escort and that police security is only provided based on established protocols.
ACP Kunwar Rashtradeep said an FIR has been registered against Yadav at the cyber police station for allegedly sharing a "fake video" that could damage the reputation of Rajasthan Police.
The YouTuber had traveled to Jaipur on February 8 for a music video shoot in Sambhar and also filmed a vlog during his visit.
The controversial footage was part of this vlog, which showed a police vehicle driving ahead of him. The video also appeared to show Yadav's car bypassing a toll booth without making a payment by following the police vehicle.
Meanwhile, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas has distanced himself and his son from the controversy stating that neither of them had requested a police escort.
"Elvish Yadav has often visited me and as a politician, I meet many people. My government is not in power, so I do not know who arranged for a police vehicle or why it was there, he said.
Neither my son nor I asked for an escort. The state government or Elvish should clarify what was happening with those police vehicles. This issue is being stretched too much," Khachariyawas told reporters.
The matter is being investigated.