Delhi man arrested in alleged Siddaramaiah sting operation case

A Delhi-based man has been arrested in connection with an alleged sting operation targeting Siddaramaiah. Police are examining a second-hand mobile phone’s digital trail. The former Karnataka chief minister has alleged a conspiracy and demanded a fair investigation

Bengaluru: A Delhi-based man has been arrested in connection with the alleged sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, marking the first arrest in the case, police said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Ritesh Pandey, was apprehended in Delhi and brought to Bengaluru for questioning, they said.

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Police are probing his alleged links to a second-hand mobile phone suspected to have been used to upload the video of the alleged sting operation, official sources said. Investigators are also examining the phone’s digital trail to identify the uploader, establish how the video was circulated on social media and determine who was behind it.

Last month, two videos containing serious allegations against Siddaramaiah were uploaded on YouTube. The Congress leader subsequently approached the court and obtained an injunction barring the press from reporting on the videos. He also lodged a police complaint seeking an investigation.

On Friday, Siddaramaiah described the alleged sting operation targeting him as “totally concocted”, claiming it was intended to blackmail him. He demanded a fair investigation to establish the truth and identify those behind it.

His son, Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, had alleged that people within the Congress were behind the purported sting operation aimed at tarnishing his father’s image.

Yathindra claimed that the video related to the alleged operation appeared to indicate the involvement of a Congress woman who wanted a party ticket from Puttur, as well as the head of a media organisation.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister Priyank Kharge said Siddaramaiah had expressed complete confidence in the probe into his complaint alleging a conspiracy against him. Kharge said it was only a matter of time before those behind the alleged sting operation were exposed.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “Whoever is involved in the criminal conspiracy, where it took place, how it happened, who conducted the sting operation, why it was conducted, how the material came into someone’s hands after so many years, how it was suddenly uploaded, and how it was publicised—all these aspects will be investigated. We will examine everything from the very beginning until the present. We will expose everything in a few days.”

The minister said the police must conduct the investigation transparently, honestly and as quickly as possible.

“They are working on it; the investigation is on without any interference or political pressure from anyone, and it will be completed,” he said.

Asked about allegations that Congress members were involved in the case, Kharge said the material available and the faces visible in it already pointed to certain individuals, who had been subjected to investigation.

“It is quite clear who is involved and what has happened. There is no need for me to spell it out separately. We (police) have summoned people involved and questioned them….Everyone whose name has been mentioned in the case has already been subjected to investigation. We have recorded their statements and documented the interrogations. We will place the details before you at the appropriate time,” he said.

Some of those who received notices have reportedly become untraceable, but efforts are under way to locate and question them, Kharge added without identifying them.