Kumaraswamy stages sit-in at Bengaluru Police Commissioner's office, seeks CBI probe into sting case

Bengaluru, Oct 15 : Union Minister and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy staged a sit-in protest outside the Bengaluru Police Commissioner's office on Thursday, demanding an impartial investigation into the alleged sting operation controversy and questioning the police action against members of his party's social media team.

The protest marked an escalation in the political confrontation over a purported sting video linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Kumaraswamy accused the state government of targeting opposition workers instead of identifying those allegedly responsible for the operation.

Kumaraswamy met Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh and sought an explanation for the alleged detention of Shankar, a member of the JD(S) social media team. He questioned the grounds for the police action and asked whether a case had been registered and due procedure followed.

Kumaraswamy and his supporters staged a sit-in on the steps of the Commissioner's office, demanding action against a Kannada television editor whom the Union Minister accused of involvement in the alleged sting operation. The allegations have not been independently established.

The protest was called off after the Commissioner assured Kumaraswamy of a fair inquiry.

Kumaraswamy also alleged that another JD(S) social media team member, Mohan, and his family had been harassed. He questioned why party workers were being targeted while those suspected of conducting the sting operation were allegedly not facing similar scrutiny.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has questioned several people in connection with the controversy. Five people, including a JD(S) worker and two minors, were reportedly questioned, with three subsequently allowed to leave. Police have not publicly disclosed the full details of the ongoing investigation.

Demanding an independent investigation, Kumaraswamy called for the case to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He also indicated that he would raise the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

However, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has rejected the demand for a CBI probe, maintaining that the state police are capable of investigating the matter.

The police investigation followed a complaint by Siddaramaiah over the alleged circulation of defamatory material. In a parallel development, a Bengaluru court granted Siddaramaiah interim protection against the publication or circulation of specified disputed videos and related material. The order does not establish the truth or falsity of the allegations surrounding the purported sting operation.

The controversy has intensified the political confrontation between the Congress-led state government and the JD(S), with the opposition questioning the handling of the investigation and the government maintaining that the state police should be allowed to proceed.

Although the Commissioner's assurance brought Kumaraswamy's sit-in to an end, questions surrounding the alleged sting operation, the treatment of party workers and the identity of those responsible remain unresolved.

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