Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday, 23 October alleged that the sting operation involving former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was orchestrated by rival factions within the Indian National Congress itself — not by the Janata Dal (Secular), as a report reportedly submitted to the party high command had suggested. Speaking at a press conference at J.P. Bhavan, the JD(S) headquarters in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy dismissed the allegation that his party was exploiting the controversy for political advantage.

Key Allegations by Kumaraswamy

Kumaraswamy raised pointed questions about who had conducted the sting operation, who was the mastermind behind it, and which Congress woman leader had allegedly assisted a Kannada media channel head during the filming. He claimed that the identities of those involved were already widely known, and questioned how Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar could submit a report to the Congress central leadership without addressing these fundamental questions.

The Union Minister alleged that Congress leaders were directly involved in the conspiracy and further claimed that Shivakumar himself was part of the alleged network. Using a Kannada expression, he suggested the Chief Minister was 'searching for a mirror to see a wound on his own palm' — meaning the evidence was self-evident.

Allegations of Cover-Up and Police Complicity

Kumaraswamy alleged that influential figures within the Karnataka state government were actively working to shield the Kannada media channel head — whom he repeatedly described as the 'kingpin' of the sting operation — from legal consequences and to facilitate easy bail. He further alleged that certain police officers were working behind the scenes to enable this protection.

He also referred to the suspicious death of a young man named Vicky, who had reportedly worked in a media-related role at an organisation run by the accused, identified in Kumaraswamy's remarks as Shetty. Kumaraswamy suggested Vicky may have been exploited and noted that a separate individual reportedly died under mysterious circumstances in 2024, with the case allegedly recorded as an unnatural death (UDR) to suppress the matter.

Blackmail, Videos, and High Court Complaint

Citing media reports, Kumaraswamy claimed that the accused media head possessed hundreds of unpublished sting-operation videos that were allegedly used to blackmail and extort money from police officers, senior officials in constitutional positions, and other influential individuals. He displayed a media report in support of his allegations and noted that a complaint concerning a video involving a senior constitutional functionary had been filed with the Karnataka High Court's vigilance wing.

Kumaraswamy warned that efforts to secure easy bail for the accused could result in the destruction of critical evidence. He added that people reportedly working with Shetty and in possession of unpublished sting videos were also said to be at risk.

Political Sparring with Shivakumar

Responding to Chief Minister Shivakumar's reported remark that Kumaraswamy had written to him despite not recognising him as the Chief Minister, the Union Minister displayed a book titled 'Kanakapura: BSP Struggle versus D.K. Shivakumar' at the press conference. He invited Shivakumar to read it and said the public could then judge whether he deserved the title of Chief Minister.

Kumaraswamy also questioned the timing of the sting operation, asking why a Congress woman leader was brought into a sting in 2023 over an incident that allegedly took place in 2011, and why no action had been taken for nearly two-and-a-half years. He demanded clarity on whether the woman allegedly present with Shetty during filming had been arrested or summoned for questioning.

JD(S) Workers Targeted, No Clarity on Investigation

Kumaraswamy said JD(S) workers were being served notices while those allegedly connected to the sting operation faced no corresponding scrutiny. He recalled that when JD(S) workers marched to the office of the Director General of Police, they were asked to provide evidence — a demand he described as untenable given the nature of the allegations. He said he was open to meeting Siddaramaiah if the need arose, noting that the former Chief Minister had once been a member of JD(S).

Former legislators K.A. Thippeswamy and K. Annadani, along with Greater Bengaluru JD(S) president H.M. Ramesh Gowda and others, were present at the press conference. With the Congress government yet to respond substantively to these specific allegations, the controversy is expected to intensify in the days ahead.