Union minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused the Karnataka government of targeting Janata Dal (Secular) workers in connection with an alleged sting operation involving political leaders and officials. He claimed that a party worker was detained for questioning without prior notice and kept at an undisclosed location for several hours.The JD(S) leader said two members of the party’s social media team had been picked up over an alleged defamatory post targeting former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah.Kumaraswamy staged a sit-in protest at the Bengaluru police commissioner’s office, offering to undergo any investigation into the alleged sting operation, according to the news agency PTI.Siddaramaiah has secured an injunction restraining media organisations from reporting on the derogatory video or sharing it on social media platforms. He has also filed a police complaint, following which two people were detained for questioning.
Kumaraswamy questions police action against JD(S) workers
Earlier, addressing a press conference at the JD(S) office in Sheshadri Puram, Kumaraswamy questioned the manner in which the investigation was being conducted and alleged that efforts were underway to implicate him in the case.He claimed that six to seven people in plain clothes took a young party worker employed in the JD(S) war room from his residence at around 6 am on Wednesday. According to Kumaraswamy, the personnel seized the worker’s mobile phone and did not allow him to speak to his wife.The minister alleged that the worker was kept at a warehouse-like premises until approximately 8 pm. However, he did not provide further details about the location or explain the circumstances surrounding the detention of the second party member.Questioning why the worker had not been taken to a police station, Kumaraswamy alleged that JD(S) members were being targeted because of their social media activities.He further claimed that a meeting had been held to formulate a strategy to implicate him in the case by obtaining a statement against him.
Minister demands investigation into phones of top leaders
Targeting chief minister DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy questioned the direction of the investigation and demanded that the mobile phones of influential people be examined.Addressing police officials, he said, “If you genuinely want the truth, seize the chief minister’s phone and investigate. You will find the facts.”Kumaraswamy also referred to earlier controversies involving private videos of political leaders. He cited a statement made by former BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi in 2024, warning about the possible emergence of videos involving senior Karnataka leaders, including Siddaramaiah and G Parameshwara.Jarkiholi, who served as a minister in the BJP government, resigned on May 3, 2021, after an obscene video involving him surfaced.
Kumaraswamy offers to face probe, gives government two days
Speaking to reporters near the police commissioner’s office, Kumaraswamy challenged the state government to investigate him first before questioning the two JD(S) workers.“I have come here to submit myself to an investigation. Let them conduct any investigation they want,” he said.Questioning Shivakumar’s handling of the matter, the union minister asked why those allegedly shielding people involved in wrongdoing were not being investigated.He also called on Home Minister Priyank Kharge to clarify the government’s position on the issue.“Will you conduct an investigation? Go ahead. Start with me. You can look into my party workers later,” Kumaraswamy said.Alleging that sting operations were being used to blackmail politicians and government officials and extort money, he demanded a wider probe into whether individuals holding positions in constitutional institutions were also being targeted.“All of this must come to light, and that can happen only through a fair investigation,” he said.After ending his sit-in protest, Kumaraswamy said he was giving the state government two days to take action, citing an assurance from police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh.
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Minister alleges attempts to shield person behind sting operation
Kumaraswamy further alleged that a key individual involved in the matter had misused the name of a media organisation and engaged in illegal activities, thereby damaging its reputation.He claimed that the person behind the alleged sting operation targeting Siddaramaiah was close to senior Congress leaders and accused the government of attempting to protect the individual.The minister also alleged that efforts were being made to damage his reputation through the same person.“Against this backdrop, I am giving this government another two days to act,” Kumaraswamy said.The allegations come amid an ongoing police inquiry into the alleged derogatory content involving Siddaramaiah. The claims made by Kumaraswamy regarding the alleged targeting of JD(S) workers and attempts to implicate him were not independently established in the account.
