Published Oct 18, 2026 | 1:20 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 18, 2026 | 1:46 PM
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on October 17 led a JD(S) march to the Director General of Police’s office in Bengaluru and submitted a complaint seeking an investigation into the alleged sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Demanding action against those allegedly behind the operation, Kumaraswamy questioned Siddaramaiah’s response to the footage, which he said showed a woman being questioned about the time she spent with a man and asked to identify marks on his body.
“When Siddaramaiah sees all this, doesn’t his blood boil?” he asked. He also questioned Siddaramaiah over his police complaint, asking, “What complaint have you filed, Siddaramaiah?”
Kumaraswamy claimed that the footage was recorded as part of a sting operation conducted in 2023, disputing the suggestion that the incident dated back to 2011.
“This is not an incident that took place in 2011. They say it was a sting operation conducted in 2023,” he said.
Accusing the government of failing to act against those allegedly responsible, Kumaraswamy asked, “Is this government polishing that man’s boots on behalf of the government?”
“We have submitted a petition today. Let us see what happens. We will wait a few more days to see what decisions the Director General of Police takes,” he said.
Kumaraswamy warned that a failure to act would make others afraid and alleged that the controversy pointed to an attempt to exert control over political leaders.
“We are seeing a situation in which everyone, including the Chief Minister of this state, is being turned into a puppet,” he said.
He said the party would consider legal options and warned that protests would begin after Vijayadashami if appropriate action was not taken.
The march came two days after Kumaraswamy staged a sit-in outside the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner’s office on October 15, demanding that the police question him directly in connection with the sting operation allegations.
His visit followed the detention and questioning of two people by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) cybercrime police after a complaint filed by Siddaramaiah in which he accused some “miscreants” of using fake/edited videos to damage his reputation.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
