Bengaluru: Karnataka Police have said their investigation into an alleged sting video targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah indicates that the sexual abuse allegations presented in the recording were fabricated and have not been substantiated by the evidence collected so far.
In a statement issued on Thursday, police said the material gathered during the inquiry, including statements from people featured in the video, prima facie suggested that the allegations had been deliberately constructed. Several people, including members of the Janata Dal (Secular) social media team, have been arrested in connection with the case.
The investigation is continuing, with police examining the circumstances surrounding the recording, its circulation on social media and the alleged involvement of individuals in preparing or distributing it.
The case has also triggered a political dispute, with Siddaramaiah and his son, Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, alleging political involvement in the operation. Union Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, has accused the police of targeting innocent party workers while failing to act against those who allegedly masterminded the operation.
Police say evidence does not support allegations
According to the police statement, investigators have identified and questioned everyone seen in the purported sting video. Some individuals were examined more than once as officers sought to establish the circumstances surrounding the recording and the allegations it contained.
Police said the statements and material collected so far did not support the claim that the alleged sexual abuse had taken place.
The inquiry had, prima facie, indicated that the accusations made or suggested against people named in the video were untrue and concocted, the statement said.
The police assessment represents the findings available at this stage of the investigation. Further inquiry is continuing, and the final legal outcome will depend on the evidence established during the investigation and any subsequent proceedings.
The case has attracted attention because the video targeted a prominent Karnataka political leader and led to competing allegations about who was responsible for producing and circulating the material.
Siddaramaiah obtains court injunction
The purported sting video was uploaded to a social media platform, following which Siddaramaiah approached the court and obtained an injunction restraining its airing, transmission and publication.
He also lodged a police complaint over the matter, seeking action in connection with the recording and the allegations presented in it.
The legal intervention became an important part of the controversy, as the circulation of the video raised questions about the publication of unverified allegations involving public figures.
The police subsequently began investigating the video, including the accounts of the people who appeared in it and the circumstances in which the recording was made.
The investigation is examining not only the allegations contained in the video but also the people who may have participated in its preparation or dissemination.
Siddaramaiah alleges Kripa Alva’s involvement
Siddaramaiah accused Kripa Alva, who was seeking a Congress ticket from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada, of being behind the alleged operation.
The accusation has added a political dimension to the investigation, particularly because the case involves allegations of a fabricated narrative targeting a senior Congress leader.
However, the alleged involvement attributed to Alva remains a claim made by Siddaramaiah. The available information does not establish that a court or investigating agency has conclusively determined her responsibility for the video.
The police investigation will be central to determining who was involved in creating or circulating the recording and whether the evidence supports the allegations made by the parties concerned.
The case also illustrates the distinction between political accusations made during a controversy and findings established through an investigation or judicial proceedings.
Yathindra Siddaramaiah alleges involvement of Congress leaders
Yathindra Siddaramaiah, the former chief minister’s son and a minister in Karnataka, has alleged that some Congress leaders were involved in the operation.
His allegation has widened the controversy beyond the initial dispute over the video, raising questions about possible political links and the circumstances in which the purported sting was organised.
The allegation has not been independently established in the information available so far. Police have said their investigation is continuing and that the evidence collected to date does not substantiate the sexual abuse claims shown in the recording.
Determining whether any political figures were involved in preparing or circulating the video will require investigators to examine the evidence and establish the roles, if any, of the people named in the competing allegations.
The claims made by Siddaramaiah and his son therefore remain separate from the police assessment of the sexual abuse allegations themselves.
H D Kumaraswamy accuses police of targeting JD(S) workers
Union Minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy has criticised the police investigation, alleging that innocent party workers were being implicated while those who allegedly masterminded the operation were being allowed to go free.
His remarks reflect the political disagreement surrounding the arrests and the direction of the inquiry.
Several people, including members of the JD(S) social media team, have been arrested in connection with the case. Kumaraswamy has questioned the police action against party workers and called into question whether investigators are pursuing the people he believes were responsible for the operation.
The police, however, have maintained that their investigation is based on the evidence gathered so far. Their statement said the sexual abuse claims were not supported by the material collected during the inquiry.
The competing positions have made the case a subject of political debate, with the ruling Congress and the JD(S) offering differing accounts of the alleged operation and the police response.
Why the investigation has become politically sensitive
The case combines allegations of sexual abuse, a purported sting operation, the circulation of a video on social media and accusations involving political figures.
The police finding that the allegations appear fabricated has shifted attention towards the origin of the video and the people who may have been involved in creating or distributing it.
At the same time, the arrests have prompted criticism from Kumaraswamy, who has alleged that the investigation is unfairly targeting JD(S) workers.
The dispute also raises broader questions about the use of purported sting recordings in political controversies. Such material can have serious consequences for the people named or depicted in it, particularly when allegations circulate publicly before they have been independently verified.
In this case, Siddaramaiah sought legal protection against the video’s publication and filed a police complaint. Investigators are now examining the recording and the accounts of those featured in it.
The eventual findings will be important in establishing whether the video was deliberately fabricated, who was responsible for its preparation and circulation, and whether any offences were committed.
Police inquiry continues
Bengaluru Police have said the evidence collected so far does not support the sexual abuse allegations presented in the purported sting video. Investigators have questioned the people featured in the recording, while several individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
However, the broader investigation remains open. The allegations made by Siddaramaiah and Yathindra Siddaramaiah about possible political involvement, as well as Kumaraswamy’s criticism of the arrests, have yet to be conclusively resolved through the inquiry.
The police findings at this stage should therefore be distinguished from a final judicial determination of responsibility.
The next phase of the investigation is expected to focus on establishing how the video was prepared, who was involved in its circulation and whether the available evidence supports criminal action against specific individuals.
For now, police maintain that the sexual abuse allegations appear fabricated and are not substantiated by the evidence gathered so far. The investigation will determine the legal consequences, if any, for those found to have been involved in the alleged operation.