Bengaluru: A Delhi-based man has been arrested in connection with an alleged sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, even as the investigation triggered a political row, with Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy accusing Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge of attempting to implicate the JD(S) in the case.
Police identified the arrested accused as Ritesh Pandey, who was apprehended in Delhi and brought to Bengaluru for questioning. Investigators are examining his alleged links to a second-hand mobile phone suspected to have been used to upload videos targeting Siddaramaiah, as well as the digital trail to establish who uploaded and circulated the material.
Last month, two videos containing serious allegations against Siddaramaiah were uploaded on YouTube. The former chief minister subsequently approached the court and obtained an injunction barring the press from reporting on the videos. He also filed a police complaint seeking an investigation.
On Friday, Siddaramaiah described the alleged sting operation as “totally concocted” and claimed it was intended to blackmail him. He called for a fair investigation to establish the facts and identify those responsible.
His son, Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, alleged that people within the Congress were involved in the operation. He claimed the videos appeared to indicate the involvement of a Congress woman seeking a party ticket from Puttur and the head of a media organisation.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge said investigators were examining the alleged conspiracy from its inception to the circulation of the videos, including who conducted the operation, how the material was obtained and why it was uploaded. He said statements had been recorded and interrogations documented, while efforts were underway to trace individuals who had reportedly become untraceable after receiving notices. Kharge maintained that the probe was proceeding without political interference.
Kumaraswamy alleges conspiracy to implicate JD(S)
On Saturday, Kumaraswamy alleged that Shivakumar and Kharge were attempting to divert the investigation towards the JD(S), despite claims that the accused had admitted to conducting the sting operation. He accused the state government of using the probe to create suspicion around him and his party.
The Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel claimed that a television channel head, a woman Congress leader and their associates were involved in the operation. He questioned why the investigation was allegedly targeting JD(S) workers rather than those suspected of conducting and recording the sting.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that police searches had targeted the families of young people working in the JD(S) war room and social media wing, with electronic devices seized. He accused Kharge of using the investigation to divert attention from the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam.
Questioning why the government had reportedly not opposed the anticipatory bail plea of a person allegedly involved in the operation, Kumaraswamy demanded answers from the home minister. He further alleged that the sting was intended to remove Siddaramaiah from office and claimed that several Congress leaders were aware of the matter.
The JD(S) leader warned that his party would intensify its protest if the government attempted to suppress the truth. Kharge, meanwhile, rejected Kumaraswamy's allegations
Also Read:
Congress seeks probe into alleged attempts to target Shivakumar, Satheesan
Separately, Congress sources said the party high command had directed the Karnataka government to investigate alleged attempts to conduct sting operations targeting Shivakumar and Kerala Congress leader V D Satheesan.
The issue surfaced after Shivakumar alleged that a businessman wearing Meta AI smart glasses had met him under suspicious circumstances. The businessman had also met Satheesan, he said.
Speaking to a Kannada television channel, Shivakumar said the visitor had sought an appointment to discuss business but instead raised political issues, electoral strategies and polling booth-level planning. The smart glasses and the man's behaviour prompted him to seek an inquiry into the visitor's background.
Shivakumar also claimed to have credible information about attempts to conduct sting operations against some of his Cabinet colleagues, alleging that private agents had been engaged for the purpose. He said he had cautioned his colleagues and that precautionary measures had been taken, but did not publicly identify those allegedly involved.
The developments have placed allegations of covert recording and political intrigue involving senior Congress leaders under scrutiny, with the ongoing investigation expected to establish the circumstances of the alleged sting operation and identify those responsible.
