Karnataka BJP alleges ₹10–15 crore spent on Siddaramaiah sting, demands FIR
Synopsis
Karnataka BJP's R. Ashoka has put a specific number to the Siddaramaiah sting controversy — alleging ₹10–15 crore in black money financed the operation — and is demanding a fresh FIR that targets sponsors, not just those who shared the video. With Kumaraswamy also piling on Home Minister Priyank Kharge, the sting row has escalated into a full-blown accountability battle in Karnataka.
Key Takeaways
Ashoka , BJP Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka, on 16 October alleged ₹10–15 crore in black money funded the sting operation against Siddaramaiah .
Ashoka demanded an FIR to probe who commissioned and financed the sting, noting the existing FIR only covers video circulation.
He challenged political leaders to file a formal complaint if they were genuinely concerned, arguing police need a legal basis to investigate the financiers.
He linked the controversy to a broader degradation of Karnataka's political standards, invoking former CMs Veerendra Patil , Kengal Hanumanthaiah , and S.
Kumaraswamy on Thursday separately alleged the sting operation's perpetrator enjoys political protection, targeting Home Minister Priyank Kharge .
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Friday, 16 October, alleged that between ₹10 crore and ₹15 crore in black money had been spent to finance the sting operation video targeting former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah. Ashoka demanded that an FIR be filed to identify those who commissioned and funded the operation, not merely those who circulated the footage.
What Ashoka Alleged
Speaking to journalists in Bengaluru, Ashoka made a direct allegation about the scale of financing involved. 'This is a direct allegation from my side. Around Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore has been spent on conducting the sting operation against former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,' he said.
He questioned the origins of the funds, asking: 'Who gave this money? Where did the black money come from? Who sponsored it, and what money was used for it? Will anyone do this for free?' Ashoka argued that without probing the financiers, the investigation remained incomplete.
Gaps in the Existing FIR
Ashoka contended that the FIR currently registered in connection with the controversy narrowly targeted those who circulated the video and did not address who had actually conducted or bankrolled the sting operation. 'The circulation of the video is not important. What is important is who conducted the sting operation and who financed it,' he claimed.
He argued that unless an FIR encompassing the operation's sponsors was filed, police would have no legal mandate to investigate those aspects. He challenged political leaders making public statements on the matter to back their concern with a formal complaint. 'At least, if an FIR is registered, the police can investigate the matter,' he said.
Broader Political Fallout
Ashoka also framed the controversy as a broader degradation of Karnataka's political culture. He warned that tolerating such practices would amount to an insult to stalwart former chief ministers — including the late Veerendra Patil, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, and S. Nijalingappa — who had served the state with distinction.
This comes a day after Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, renewed his attack on Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, questioning Kharge's handling of the alleged sting operation and alleging that the individual behind the operation was enjoying political protection. The layered allegations suggest the sting controversy has moved well beyond the video itself and into a wider political battle over accountability and influence in the state.
What Happens Next
With BJP pressing for a broader FIR and the Congress-led state government yet to formally respond to Ashoka's demands, the controversy is likely to intensify in the coming days. Whether the Karnataka police will expand the scope of the existing FIR remains the central question, with opposition leaders signalling they will keep the pressure on through both parliamentary and public channels.
Point of View
Ashoka shifts the narrative from whatever the sting allegedly captured to the question of who paid for it — a move that puts the ruling Congress on the defensive without requiring the BJP to defend or validate the footage itself. Notably, the existing FIR's silence on the operation's sponsors gives the opposition a genuine procedural grievance, not just a political talking point. With Kumaraswamy simultaneously pressing Priyank Kharge over 'political protection,' the sting controversy has effectively become a proxy war over the Congress government's credibility on law enforcement — a more durable political liability than the video alone.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Siddaramaiah sting operation controversy in Karnataka?
The controversy centres on a sting operation video allegedly targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. An FIR has been registered over the circulation of the video, but BJP leaders allege the operation itself was financed by black money and that those who commissioned it have not been identified or named in the case.
What did R. Ashoka allege about the sting operation's funding?
BJP leader and Karnataka Opposition chief R. Ashoka alleged on 16 October that between ₹10 crore and ₹15 crore in black money was spent to conduct the sting operation. He called for a fresh FIR to investigate who sponsored and financed the exercise, not just who circulated the resulting video.
Why does Ashoka say the existing FIR is inadequate?
Ashoka argued the current FIR only addresses the people who distributed the video and contains nothing substantive about who conducted or funded the sting operation. He said without an FIR covering the sponsors, police have no mandate to investigate the financial trail behind the operation.
What role is H.D. Kumaraswamy playing in this controversy?
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday renewed pressure on Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, alleging that the person behind the sting operation is enjoying political protection. His remarks add a second front to the BJP-JD(S) pressure campaign against the Congress government's handling of the case.
Who is Siddaramaiah?
Siddaramaiah is a veteran Karnataka politician and former Chief Minister who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). He remains a senior figure in the Congress party and a key political target for the opposition in the state.
