Fact Check Fiasco: Did Ratan Tata Gift 2,500 Bulletproof Scorpios to the Indian Army? Spoiler Alert: It’s a Hoax!

In the age of viral misinformation, a recent claim has spread like wildfire on social media, stating that the legendary industrialist Ratan Tata generously donated 2,500 bulletproof Scorpio vehicles to the Indian Army. This story gained traction following Tata's passing, accompanied by images that have been floating around since 2012. But is there any truth to this claim? Let’s dive into the fact-checking rabbit hole!

The viral images have sparked enthusiastic posts on Facebook, with users proclaiming, “The country’s greatest industrialist and esteemed Ratan Tata Ji has gifted 2,500 bulletproof Scorpio Jeeps to the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir. Kudos to our soldiers! A heartfelt thank you to Ratan Tata Ji, a true son of the nation and a great personality!”

So, what’s the real scoop? We did some digging to verify the authenticity of this viral post. A quick Google search with relevant keywords revealed no credible news supporting the claim that Ratan Tata donated 2,500 bulletproof Scorpios to the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir. We also checked Tata’s official social media accounts, but found nothing that corroborates this donation.

To further investigate the viral images, we conducted a reverse image search on Google. This led us to a post by a user named Rajesh Banediya, which was shared back on July 28, 2016. Additionally, reports from websites like Zigwheel and Indium Auto dating back to April 2012 feature similar images, indicating that Mahindra showcased these ‘Rakshak Plus’ vehicles at the Defense Expo in 2012.

Moreover, we found a video on the official Times Now YouTube channel that was uploaded on April 9, 2012, displaying the same vehicles in question.

Thus, after thorough investigation, TV9 Kannada has confirmed that the viral claim regarding Ratan Tata donating 2,500 bulletproof Scorpio Jeeps to the Indian Army is utterly false. Those images have been circulating on social media since 2012, with Mahindra showcasing the ‘Rakshak Plus’ vehicles at the Defense Expo.