Siddaramaiah Moves Bengaluru Court Over Allegedly Defamatory Videos

Bengaluru, Oct 13 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approached a Bengaluru court seeking to restrain the circulation of two videos allegedly linking him to a purported honey-trap network and blackmail, triggering a fresh political controversy in the state.

The videos, which Siddaramaiah has described as defamatory, allegedly seek to link him to a purported honey-trap operation and political developments during his tenure as Chief Minister. His son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, has dismissed the recording as fake.

According to the petition, the first video was uploaded on September 27 by a YouTube channel named Karnataka Honey Trap under the title "Karnataka Honey Trap Nexus Part 1". The second was an hour-long programme uploaded or streamed by Freedom TV Kannada on October 2 under the title "LIVE: Biggest CD Blast in Karnataka Politics?".

Siddaramaiah has alleged that the videos and accompanying claims were intended to damage his reputation by associating him with blackmail, a purported honey-trap network and an alleged political conspiracy.

The petition also refers to a purported recording in which a woman allegedly claims that she was sexually exploited as a minor around 2011 and identifies Siddaramaiah as the person involved. However, the allegations have not been independently established, and the authenticity of the recording remains disputed.

Questioning the credibility of the material, Siddaramaiah has contended that it does not disclose any contemporaneous police complaint, independent witness statement or other verifiable evidence substantiating the allegations. He has also alleged that the questioning in the recording was structured to elicit responses implicating him.

Seeking legal protection, Siddaramaiah filed a defamation suit before the Bengaluru City Civil and Sessions Court against 42 media organisations, digital platforms and other defendants. He has sought a permanent injunction restraining them from publishing, broadcasting or sharing the videos and any clips, screenshots, transcripts or reports reproducing the disputed allegations.

The petition also seeks the removal of the videos and directions to digital platforms to disable access to the content. The respondents reportedly include television channels, newspapers and digital platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Google India, Yahoo India and Facebook India.

Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge B Pushpanjali reserved orders on Siddaramaiah's application for interim relief after hearing the matter on Monday. The order was expected on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah has described the online campaign as false propaganda and said he approached the court to prevent further dissemination of material that he believes could cause irreparable damage to his reputation.

The legal action comes amid a broader political confrontation over allegations of sting operations targeting Karnataka's political leadership. Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has raised questions about the purported operation and demanded clarity on those behind it.

Siddaramaiah, in turn, has called for an investigation to establish the facts and identify those responsible. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has rejected allegations linking him to the purported operation. Congress leaders have separately alleged that attempts were made to conduct sting operations against ministers to embarrass the state government.

The allegations and counterclaims remain subject to verification.

The controversy has intensified the political confrontation in Karnataka, bringing allegations of covert recordings, political rivalry and online publication under scrutiny. The court's decision on the interim application is expected to determine whether restrictions will be imposed on the circulation of the disputed material while the defamation proceedings continue.

The filing of the suit and the court's consideration of the plea do not constitute a finding on the authenticity of the videos or the truth of the allegations they contain.