A fabricated sting operation video targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ignited a political storm — and this time, the veteran Congress leader is going on the offensive. Siddaramaiah declared on Friday, October 23 that the video is 'completely false and created with the malicious intent of blackmailing' him, and announced that he himself has filed a police complaint to expose whoever is behind it.

Siddaramaiah files complaint, secures court injunction

Rather than stay silent, Siddaramaiah moved on two legal fronts simultaneously. He filed a police complaint demanding that the truth be established — 'who created the video and who is behind it' — and separately obtained a civil court injunction to prevent the video from gaining further circulation. His reasoning is pointed: let the investigation speak, not the spin.

He stated that the matter first came to his attention on September 26. In his own words, 'I have no reason to fear or be distressed by such false allegations when I know clearly that I have done nothing wrong.'

Rakesh Shetty's admission and the role of Krupa Alva

Two individuals who appear in the video are now central to the inquiry. Rakesh Shetty has reportedly admitted to making the video himself — a development Siddaramaiah cited directly in his post. The role of Krupa Alva, also seen in the footage, is being investigated separately. Both admissions and associations are now part of the active police probe.

Kumaraswamy's offer and why Siddaramaiah said 'no thanks'

In an unexpected political moment, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy — a long-time rival and occasional partner of Congress — reportedly offered to stand by Siddaramaiah in this episode. The response was firm and telling: 'No one needs to stand up for me.' Siddaramaiah made clear that solidarity from any quarter is neither sought nor required — the investigation alone must deliver the verdict.

Four decades of public life, and why 'now' matters

The political subtext here is hard to miss. Siddaramaiah has been in public life since 1984, serving as a minister, deputy chief minister, and twice as chief minister across a total of eight years in power. His pointed observation: nothing remotely like this happened during any of those years in office. That the alleged blackmail attempt surfaces now — when he is out of power — is, in his words, 'unfortunate.'

Sting operations, real and fabricated, have periodically roiled Karnataka politics across the Congress-BJP-JD(S) triangle. The question of whether the conspiracy originates inside his own party or from outside it, Siddaramaiah says, must also be answered by the probe. He explicitly ruled out the formation of a separate Special Investigation Team, insisting the ongoing police investigation is sufficient — provided it is conducted fairly.

What the investigation must now prove

With a court injunction in place, a police complaint filed, and a named suspect who has reportedly admitted to creating the video, the contours of this case are clearer than most political controversies. What remains unsettled is the chain of command — who commissioned it, who funded it, and what the end goal was. Siddaramaiah says he has full confidence the truth will emerge through a fair investigation.

Karnataka's political class, and the public, are now watching to see if the probe delivers that truth — or becomes another inconclusive chapter in the state's turbulent political history.