Published Oct 24, 2026 | 10:06 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 24, 2026 | 10:06 PM
CCB noted that the accused, Pandey, followed only four profiles, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kumaraswamy. (iStock)
Synopsis: Police arrested Ritesh Pandey on suspicion that he uploaded the controversial sting video to social media platforms using a second-hand smartphone he purchased in Delhi. To avoid identification, he allegedly didn’t use a SIM card and relied on a Wi-Fi connection to upload the footage. Police seized the phone and sent it for forensic examination.
The Central Crime Branch of the Bengaluru police arrested a man in Delhi in connection with an alleged sting operation against Karnataka’s former chief minister, Siddaramaiah.
The accused, Ritesh Pandey of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, was produced before a local court, which granted him bail. He has reportedly been working in the camp office of Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy.
Pandey was arrested on suspicion that he had uploaded the controversial sting video onto social media platforms, using a second-hand smartphone he had purchased from Delhi. To avoid identification, he allegedly did not use a SIM card and instead relied on a Wi-Fi connection to upload the footage. Police seized the phone and sent it for forensic examination.
Police said Pandey was given the footage saved on a pen drive.
CCB sleuths reportedly noted that Pandey followed only four profiles, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kumaraswamy.
Meanwhile, the police issued a summons to Mohan Gowda on Friday, 23 October. Gowda and Chandan, both JD(S) IT cell functionaries, were earlier issued a notice on 13 October, in connection with the alleged sting operation.
The JD(S) accused the police of harassing the family members of its party workers. The organisation’s spokesperson, Pradeep Gowda, said on Friday that police visited Mohan’s residence when he was not there and searched the house without a warrant.
The search party brought a computer and printer to the house after Mohan’s wife, Pavitra, objected to the search. Pradeep said they brought the gadgets in to print the warrant.
The JD(S) spokesperson also alleged that the police assaulted Pavitra when she refused to hand over her phone, which he said was not connected to the case.
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In a separate development, the Congress high command has asked the Karnataka government to probe an alleged sting operation involving a businessman.
The high command ordered the probe after Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar claimed that a businessman wearing Meta smart glasses met him under suspicious circumstances, The Economic Times reported.
The businessman also met Shivakumar’s Keralam counterpart and party colleague, VD Satheesan. However, the same businessman did not wear the glasses while meeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu.
Shivakumar said the businessman—whose identity was not revealed—spoke about politics and psephology instead of business, for which he had sought and been granted an appointment. The news report said it made the chief minister suspicious.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
