How AI Solved A 19-Year-Old Murder Case In Kerala

February 08, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

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Kerala Police used AI to age 19-year-old photographs of two suspects. They were searching for two men who had vanished after a horrific triple murder, leaving behind only faded photographs and a grieving mother's quest for justice. What was the breakthrough moment? Read on to find out.

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Was actor Shah Rukh Khan seen with American wrestlers at the Kumbh Mela 2025? Or was a terrorist named Ayub Khan disguised as a sadhu arrested by Uttar Pradesh police at Kumbh in Prayagraj? 

Short answer: No. 

Several AI-generated images are being circulated to share misinformation like these around the Kumbh Mela.

So, do the terms AI-generated and deepfake mean the same thing? 

Not really. Every AI-generated visual is not a deepfake. However, every deepfake is AI-generated.

Here's how you can spot AI-generated content by following these simple tips:

  1. Observe the visual carefully especially if it has human features. 

  2. Is there an unnatural gaze or lighting?

  3. Look for blurred or pixelated elements in the background. 

  4. You can also use publicly available tools that can help you detect if it's AI-generated or not. Tools such as Hive AI Detector, Hiya for detecting AI-generated deepfake voices and deepfake-o-meter. 

Remember, misinformation paints a very different picture of reality. So stay alert and steer clear of fake news.

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DECODE

How AI Brought Justice To A Kerala Mother After 19 Years

Investigation ft. AI: In December 2024, Kerala Police's Technical Intelligence wing embarked on an unusual mission—using artificial intelligence to age photographs from 2006. Investigators fed old, grainy images into AI systems, trying different combinations of hairstyles, facial features, and aging patterns. 

In search of: They were searching for two men. The case involved the murder of 23-year-old Renjini and her 17-day-old twin daughters, allegedly to prevent a DNA paternity test. "We tried several iterations," Manoj Abraham, Additional Director General of Police in Kerala told Decode’s Saritha S Balan & Hera Rizwan, describing their methodical approach. 

The breakthrough: came unexpectedly—a wedding photograph on Facebook matched one of their AI-generated images.

Deepfakes To Misinformation: How AAP, BJP Used AI In Delhi’s Poll Campaign

AI-driven political campaigns in Delhi: The Delhi assembly elections saw political parties leveraging AI to boost their campaigns with viral videos and deepfakes. 

Campaigns and controversies: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stirred controversy with AI-generated videos targeting leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including deepfakes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as Bollywood villains. 

BJP’s response: The BJP responded with its own AI videos, mocking AAP through Bollywood-inspired parodies and satire. 

From deepfakes to viral misinformation, both parties used technology to shape voter perceptions and attack each other. Read Hera Rizwan’s report.

AI-generated visuals and deepfakes are increasingly being used to spread mis/disinformation. Some of the social media platforms are staying away from fact-checking and therefore leaving facts to not be a necessity anymore. At such a time, we need your support more than ever. And it starts with taking this 2-minute-survey. Your responses will help us serve you better, and become sustainable in our shared mission to fight mis/disinformation.

EXPLAINED

Explained: What Do Changes In Income Tax Slabs Mean For Taxpayers

On 1 February 2025, Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the nil income tax slab would be increased to Rs 12 lakh under the new tax regime. 

Her announcement has caused confusion among taxpayers, with many assuming that those earning up to Rs 12 lakh are completely exempt from tax. Another common question is whether a salaried person earning Rs 13 lakh will only be taxed on the additional Rs 1 lakh. 

Read Nidhi Jacob’s explainer to know how tax is calculated for earnings less/more than Rs 12 lakhs.

'FAKE NEWS’ YOU ALMOST FELL FOR

🔍 A drone video went viral on social media with a claim that a pilot made an announcement while landing in Prayagraj, and explained the significance of the Maha Kumbh. Read 🔗 Jagriti Trisha and Shefali Srivastava’s ↗️ fact-check.

🔍 A viral story claiming a bride's father cancelled a wedding in Delhi after the groom performed on the Bollywood song 'Choli Ke Peeche' is fake with no such incident reported anywhere. 🔗 Srijit Das ↗️ debunked the claim.

🔍 As Delhi went to polls this week, altered news bulletins of ABP News and Aaj Tak surfaced with false claims that the news outlets aired opinion polls predicting a landslide victory for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Arvind Kejriwal. Read 🔗 Swasti Chatterjee’s ↗️ fact-check.

🅱️ RECOMMENDS

This week's recommendation is: How spammers and scammers leverage AI-generated images on Facebook for audience growth

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