Bengaluru: The investigation into allegations of sting operations involving three Karnataka chief ministers, including incumbent D.K. Shivakumar, has landed back at the doorstep of Union minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who had levelled these charges against his successors.
According to Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, the probe has led them to one person who is suspected to be the aide of Janata Dal (Secular) leader Kumaraswamy. Singh shared details of the probe after the arrest of a man named Ritesh Pandey in Delhi last week. The Bengaluru City police commissioner also named two other suspects—Vinod Sharma and Prajwal Prasad—who he said remain at large.
“Ritesh and Vinod Sharma had gone to a mobile shop in Karol Bagh in Delhi, purchased a mobile. This particular mobile, after purchase, both Ritesh Pandey and Vinod Sharma (went) to a place in Kushak road in New Delhi, to the residence of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and handed over the particular mobile to Prajwal Prasad, who was inside,” Singh told reporters Sunday.
Kushak Road is where the official residence of Union minister and former Karnataka chief minister Kumaraswamy is located.
In October, Kumaraswamy had alleged that senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah was forced to step down as chief minister after Shivakumar threatened to release videos produced by sting operations.
Soon after, Shivakumar claimed that some “hired” elements attempted to execute a “sting operation” against him as a businessman wearing Meta glasses started discussing politics at a meeting with the incumbent chief minister at his residence.
Ever since these allegations were levelled by Kumaraswamy, sting operations have dictated the political discourse in the southern state with claims and counter-claims setting the narrative.
Singh said that all three people—Prasad, Pandey and Sharma— are working for the social media team of “that office” even though he did not specify which.
“As of now we have issued notices to Vinod Sharma and Prajwal Prasad. Both of them have not replied to the notice and are absconding. And they have, as per our information, have applied for anticipatory bail,” Singh said.
He added that the probe will advance only when they can interrogate Sharma and Prasad.
“We have got technical evidence in terms of CCTV and other technical details, financial transactions between Prajwal Prasad and Ritesh Pandey,” Singh said.
The latest discovery in the ongoing investigation has given the Congress fresh ammunition to target Kumaraswamy and his allies in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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‘Picture abhi baaki hai’
On Sunday, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said a probe was underway into the sting allegations and initial findings point to the involvement of Kumaraswamy.
“As I said, irrefutable evidence is available. They cannot deny it all. Picture abhi baaki hai,” Kharge said.
He added that the findings were all technical in nature and not just innuendo or inference. “All technical findings are pointing to the involvement of his (Kumaraswamy) people,” he said.
Sting operations, honeytraps and CDs have become synonymous with politics in Karnataka, rearing their head at frequent intervals and dominating discourse.
In March last year, the then Karnataka Minister for Home Affairs, G. Parameshwara, informed the legislature that the government would set up a high-level probe into the growing case of ‘honeytraps’ against political leaders in Karnataka.
Fuelling the allegations were the statements by then Karnataka Minister for Cooperation, K.N. Rajanna, who said nearly 50 leaders had fallen prey to honeytrapping.
Senior ministers, MLAs from ruling and opposition parties and several others have alleged honeytrap attempts for either economic gain or political favour.
In modern-day politics, especially in Karnataka, sting operations and honeytrapping tactics have been used extensively over the years. In March 2021, a sleaze video showing what appeared to be BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi getting intimate with an unnamed woman was shared on social media. He was accused of sexually exploiting the woman, who had allegedly approached him to seek help. Jarkiholi had to subsequently step down as minister from B.S.Yediyurappa’s cabinet.
There was another instance when at least six ministers from the BJP government secured gag orders from the courts in 2021, prohibiting the publishing of any video that would damage their reputation.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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