A digital forensic investigation into the documents presented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a high-profile press conference on alleged “vote chori” or “vote theft” has uncovered a shocking international connection, raising serious questions about the origins of the evidence and foreign influence in India’s political discourse.
On 7 August 2025, Rahul Gandhi addressed the nation and major social media influencers, levelling grave allegations of electoral malfeasance. The release quickly dominated national debate, with several opposition influencers amplifying the claims across social media.
The cornerstone of his presentation was a set of evidence documents: PDF files in English, Hindi, and Kannada, uploaded to his official website, RahulGandhi.in.
However, an independent probe into the digital footprint of these documents has now unearthed troubling details – the technical examination of these files has revealed metadata that points not to New Delhi, but to Myanmar.
The Smoking Gun in the Metadata
Digital forensics specialists and open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts, after downloading the files from the official Google Drive link provided by the Congress party, conducted a thorough metadata review. The findings are consistent across multiple verification platforms:
Myanmar Timezone (MMT): The creation metadata for all three PDFs is stamped with the Myanmar Standard Time timezone (UTC +6:30).
Software Fingerprint: The documents were exported using Adobe Illustrator, a professional-grade design software. Crucially, this software pulls time and date information directly from the system clock of the computer on which it is being used. A standard VPN, which can mask an IP address, cannot alter this system-level timezone setting.
Creation Timeline: The files were created in quick succession, with precise gaps between them: the English PDF was created first, followed by the Hindi version 29 seconds later, and the Kannada PDF 37 seconds after that. This pattern suggests a single operator or a coordinated team working on the same system to produce the documents.
Summary Table
Why Metadata Matters
PDFs hosted on Google Drive, as these were, preserve original metadata. Analysts stress that while metadata can be edited manually, the likelihood of a political party manually switching its system time to Myanmar is implausible.
Multiple Authors, Outdated Systems
Further examination revealed the presence of names like Vikram Srinivas and Saifulla Khan in the author field of some documents, suggesting that multiple individuals or perhaps agencies were involved.
The files also showed signs of being created on older operating systems, including Windows 7 Business Edition SP1 raising speculation that the documents were produced in a professional office setup rather than on a personal device.
https://twitter.com/kingofknowwhere/status/1965778168364839288
Pattern Across the Region
Observers have pointed to a disturbing pattern in recent years across South Asia from upheavals in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to political turmoil in Nepal where coordinated narratives amplified online have played a role in destabilization. The revelation that Rahul Gandhi’s materials may have originated outside India adds weight to fears of external scripting in India’s domestic politics.
The revelations have triggered outrage among critics of the Congress party, who argue that the Opposition is outsourcing its political agenda to “foreign hands.” Analysts warn that if confirmed, this development could seriously undermine Congress’s credibility and raise questions of national security.
While Congress has yet to issue a detailed response, the evidence has sparked a fierce debate about the role of foreign influence in shaping Opposition campaigns and whether India’s electoral discourse is being manipulated from beyond its borders.
This article is based on an X thread by Khurpenchh.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.