Delhi man arrested in Siddaramaiah sting case; CCB traces digital trail

Bengaluru, Oct 24: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police have arrested Delhi-based Ritesh Pandey in connection with the alleged sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This is the first arrest in the case.

Pandey was arrested in Delhi and brought to Bengaluru for questioning. Investigators are probing his alleged links to a second-hand mobile phone suspected to have been used to upload the controversial footage. The police are tracing the phone's digital trail to identify others involved in recording and circulating the video.

According to police sources, Pandey allegedly told investigators that he uploaded the footage on the instructions of a person associated with the Janata Dal (Secular) social media team. However, the claim has not been independently established, and the investigation is continuing to ascertain the roles of others involved.

The arrest has opened a significant line of investigation into the origin of the videos, their circulation and the possibility of a wider conspiracy.

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has said the investigation would establish the complete sequence of events, from the recording of the purported sting operation to the uploading and circulation of the footage. He assured that the probe would proceed without political interference and that those responsible would be brought to light.

Investigators are also examining how material allegedly recorded in 2023 resurfaced on social media, who handled it during the intervening period and why it was circulated at this particular juncture. Statements of several people summoned in connection with the case have also been recorded.

The controversy took a fresh turn after Urban Development Minister and Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra Siddaramaiah alleged that some people within the Congress could have been involved in the operation to damage his father's reputation. He suggested that the woman seen in the video appeared to have been seeking a Congress ticket from Puttur for the 2023 Assembly elections.

Yathindra maintained that the investigation should establish whether those involved acted independently or at the behest of others.

Siddaramaiah has described the video as fabricated and alleged that the operation was intended to blackmail him and tarnish his image. He has named Congress leader Kripa Alva and Power TV Managing Director Rakesh Shetty in connection with the episode. However, the allegations against them have not been conclusively established.

Meanwhile, a Bengaluru court granted interim bail to Shetty while adjourning his anticipatory bail petition to October 30. His counsel argued that Shetty was neither the owner nor the creator or administrator of the YouTube channel that uploaded the video.

The purported sting operation has triggered a political confrontation between the Congress and the JD(S). Cybercrime police registered a case following Siddaramaiah's complaint on October 6 and are investigating allegations relating to the creation and circulation of the material, including possible forgery, identity theft and extortion.

The investigation is now focused on establishing the digital trail, identifying those who recorded, uploaded and circulated the footage, and determining whether the operation was part of a larger conspiracy.