Fact Check: Video Of Plastic Granules Shared As ‘Fake Wheat’; Viral Post Misleading

New Delhi Vishvas News – A video claiming the production of fake wheat in the market has gone viral on social media. The video features a machine, which appears to be producing small particles, while the accompanying message insists that fake wheat is being manufactured. Vishvas News conducted an investigation into this viral post and determined that the claim was false. The machine in the video is, in fact, producing plastic granules.

What’s going viral?

The video that has gone viral was posted by Arun Shukla on October 10 on his X Handle. Shukla asserted, “Fake wheat production has now commenced. Let’s keep a vigilant eye on the market. What’s next in the world of fake goods?” Several users across various social media platforms shared the video with similar claims.

Investigation:

Vishvas News began its investigation by examining the viral video to trace its origin. The video featured the label “Smartest Workers” in English. Using this clue, we conducted a search for channels and accounts associated with this name on YouTube and social media platforms, ultimately discovering a YouTube channel with the same name. This channel contained the original video.

The original video, uploaded on September 24, 2023, was described as a part of the plastic recycling process. A similar video, posted on September 24, was also found on the Instagram account of Smartest Workers with a description related to plastic.

Further into the investigation, Vishvas News contacted Vaibhav Agarwal, a professional in the plastic industry, and shared the viral video with him. He clarified that the machine seen in the video produces plastic granules, and the claim of it producing fake wheat is entirely false.

Vishvas News also reached out to commodity journalist Kamal Sharma for information related to the video. Sharma emphasised that fake wheat is not being produced and that some individuals are using such videos to spread misinformation. Notably, a similar video claiming the production of fake rice had previously gone viral.

The user responsible for the false post was identified as Arun Shukla, a resident of Mumbai. This handle was created in July 2021 and has a following of over 5,000 people.