Karnataka Police Question Five Persons In Connection With Alleged Sting Operation

Karnataka police have initiated a formal inquiry into an alleged sting operation targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, bringing five individuals under the scanner, including two minors and a political party worker. Law enforcement authorities confirmed the development following formal complaints regarding defamatory video materials circulated across digital networks.

The probe gains immediate political traction across the state as opposition parties and cabinet ministers clash over the integrity of the investigation. While state leaders have defended the capability of local law enforcement to handle the inquiry, opposition figures have pressed for a broader federal probe into the origins of the covert recordings.

City police teams picked up five suspects after tracing digital footprints and internet protocol addresses linked to the dissemination of the contested clips. Three of the individuals were released following initial questioning, while the two minor subjects remain under detailed interrogation by investigators.

State Home Minister Priyank Kharge defended the competence of state agencies to handle the case, dismissing demands for an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Officials stated that federal investigative teams were already managing significant caseloads and drawing personnel support from state reserves.

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy criticized the police action, raising objections over the detention of Shankar, a member of the Janata Dal (Secular) social media cell, who was reportedly taken into custody without a formal case registration. The regional party leadership alleged that state machinery was unfairly targeting opposition workers instead of locating the main orchestrators behind the covert operation.

Earlier, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lodged a formal grievance with the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, alleging a coordinated conspiracy to damage his public standing through fabricated information. The Crime Branch cybercrime division subsequently stepped up digital monitoring of social media handles involved in broadcasting the footage.

Investigators are expected to continue analyzing electronic evidence and IP logs to identify additional participants linked to the production and spread of the recordings. Further procedural updates from the cybercrime division are anticipated as the questioning of the remaining subjects proceeds.