Uttar Pradesh murder accused arrested after AI‑generated goat funeral image fooled court

How the plot unfolded

Police say Rajkumar Rajbhar, also known as Raju, hatched a plan on 30 May 2025 in Ghazipur to make it appear that he had died. According to Additional Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar, the accused organised a funeral for a goat, then used artificial‑intelligence software to replace the animal’s body with a fabricated image of a human figure on a pyre. The doctored picture was presented as proof that Rajbhar had been cremated.

Forged paperwork and court submission

Armed with the AI image, Rajbhar allegedly secured a death certificate from the Mau Municipal Council. He submitted the certificate to the court handling the murder trial of Yogesh Singh, who was shot dead in 2016, in an effort to halt the proceedings and disappear from the legal system. The police statement adds that he also produced additional documents to bolster the false claim.

Police response and arrest

Acting on intelligence, officers from the Kotwali Nagar police station, assisted by the Special Operations Group and a surveillance team, tracked Rajbhar to the Khwajajahanpur locality in Mau district. He was arrested on the morning of 25 October 2026, the same day the story broke. Kumar said the swift action demonstrated the efficiency of Uttar Pradesh’s law‑enforcement agencies in tackling sophisticated attempts to undermine the justice system.

Background of the accused

Rajbhar, 38, is a resident of the Kotwali Nagar area in Mau and has not completed his Class 12 examinations. Police allege he was involved in stock‑market trading and had collected money from prominent individuals across several cities, promising to invest the funds. The alleged financial motive is said to have driven him to devise the fake‑death scheme.

Legal repercussions

A case has been registered against Rajbhar at Kotwali Nagar police station for obtaining forged documents and falsely representing himself as deceased. Charges have been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, according to the police report. The incident highlights the challenges courts face as technology such as AI becomes more accessible, and it underscores the importance of vigilant policing in upholding the rule of law.

What this means for the justice system

While the use of AI to create counterfeit evidence is a growing concern worldwide, Uttar Pradesh authorities are positioning their response as a model of proactive enforcement. By exposing the ruse before the trial could be derailed, the police have reinforced public confidence in the state's commitment to delivering justice, even when confronted with novel technological threats.