India TV Fact Check: Amidst the political fervour surrounding Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and her candidature for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, a social media post has gone viral. The image purportedly portrayed Kangana alongside notorious gangster Abu Salem. However, a meticulous fact check by India TV revealed the truth behind the viral post. It became clear that in the viral photo, it is not Abu Salem with Kangana but a film journalist Mark Manuel.
The allegations:
The viral post, shared by a user named Aapka Apna Shailendra Patel on Facebook, stirred a storm with its caption insinuating Kangana's association with Abu Salem. The post, dated September 14, 2020, garnered attention, sparking debates across social media platforms. The accompanying images portrayed Kangana alongside an individual claimed to be Abu Salem, accompanied by another image of her at a tomb, seemingly offering homage.
India TV Fact-checking:
India TV began a thorough investigation to ascertain the authenticity of the viral claim. Through reverse image search techniques, we stumbled upon a piece of news related to the same incident. Titled ‘Kangana Ranaut hung out with gangster Abu Salem? Actor responds to viral pic’, the article discussed the photo in discussion.
The truth unveiled:
The person accompanying Kangana in the photo was not Abu Salem but film journalist Mark Manuel. Kangana Ranaut had addressed the claims through her social media account. She clarified that the individual in question was, in fact, Mark Manuel, a former entertainment editor of Times of India, dismissing the allegation of her association with Abu Salem.
Abu Salem:
It is noteworthy that gangster Abu Salem was convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Salem was one of the main conspirators of the Mumbai blasts, in which 257 people lost their lives and over 700 were injured. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison after extradition from Portugal in 2005.
Finding of the Fact Check:
India TV's fact check conclusively dispelled the false allegations circulating on social media. The photo in question, purportedly showing Kangana Ranaut with Abu Salem, was indeed a case of mistaken identity, with the individual being identified as Mark Manuel.
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