Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel and Janata Dal (Secular) State President H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday, 14 October accused the Karnataka government of systematically targeting party workers who had publicly questioned an alleged honey-trap conspiracy designed to damage the reputation of former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah. The allegations have sharply escalated a political row centred on a contested sting operation in Bengaluru.

Worker Detained Without Registered Case, Kumaraswamy Claims

According to Kumaraswamy, Shankar, a young member of the JD(S) social media team, was taken away by police on Wednesday morning without any formal case being registered against him. The JD(S) leader alleged that after the party's legal cell lodged a complaint at the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station, Shankar was permitted only a brief call to his wife — limited to informing her that the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police had detained him — before the call was abruptly disconnected.

'Enough of this deceptive drama. On what grounds was he taken away?' Kumaraswamy demanded, questioning the legal basis for the detention.

Kumaraswamy's Allegations Against the Police

Kumaraswamy alleged a troubling inversion of priorities: instead of pursuing the individual who allegedly recorded and circulated the sting operation footage — a person he accused of operating under the guise of a media professional — the police were, according to him, directing their attention at JD(S) social media workers who had merely raised questions about the incident.

'I was the one who questioned the issue and demanded a CBI investigation. If the police have the courage, they should have come directly to me. Why are they showing their power against innocent people?' Kumaraswamy said.

He further alleged that police visited the residence of another social media team member, Mohan, creating what he described as a disturbance and harassing his family. Notably, Kumaraswamy has not been summoned or questioned directly, which he publicly underscored.

Political and Legal Fight Promised by JD(S)

Kumaraswamy warned that the Janata Dal (Secular) would not remain silent if its workers faced what he termed unnecessary harassment. He said the party was fully prepared to contest the matter on both political and legal fronts.

This comes amid a broader political controversy over the sting operation footage allegedly involving Siddaramaiah — who served as Chief Minister of Karnataka for more than eight years — with multiple opposition leaders demanding an independent probe into its origins and circulation.

Background and What's at Stake

The sting operation controversy has become a flashpoint between the ruling Congress government in Karnataka and the JD(S)-BJP opposition. Kumaraswamy has framed the police action as politically motivated, portraying it as an effort to silence critics who exposed an alleged orchestrated campaign against Siddaramaiah's image. The Congress government has not issued a formal response to Wednesday's allegations at the time of this report.

With the JD(S) vowing legal escalation and demanding a CBI inquiry, the controversy is set to intensify in the coming days, with worker detentions likely to become a fresh flashpoint in Karnataka's already fractious political landscape.