HD Kumaraswamy led a JD(S) foot march in Bengaluru, demanding the immediate arrest of those allegedly behind a sting operation targeting former CM Siddaramaiah. He accused CM DK Shivakumar of conspiring to remove Siddaramaiah from his post.
The march began at JP Bhavan, the JD(S) headquarters in Sheshadripuram, and proceeded towards the DGP's office on Nrupathunga Road. A large number of party workers and leaders accompanied Kumaraswamy. Police personnel repeatedly attempted to stop the procession, but the protesters continued. Police later blocked the road near Freedom Park with buses and barricades, following which the demonstration continued at Freedom Park.
JD(S) Protest Demands Arrests in Sting-op Case
The protest comes two days after Kumaraswamy submitted a complaint at the Bengaluru Police Commissioner's office and gave police two days to arrest Rakesh Shetty and his associates. With no arrests made, Kumaraswamy convened a meeting at the JD(S) headquarters and decided to march to the DGP's office.
Kumaraswamy demanded the immediate arrest of Rakesh Shetty, Bagepalli Prashanth and Congress leader Krupa Alva, alleging they were directly involved in the sting operation.
Kumaraswamy Alleges Conspiracy by CM Shivakumar
Addressing the gathering at Freedom Park, Kumaraswamy launched a sharp attack on the state government, alleging that Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Rakesh Shetty had orchestrated the sting operation with the objective of forcing Siddaramaiah out of the Chief Minister's post. He alleged that Shivakumar had repeatedly met Shetty, whom he accused of using journalism as a tool for blackmail. He further alleged that Shetty had publicly acknowledged on his own news channel that the voice in the footage was his and that he had recorded the video.
"My fight is not personal. I will intensify this agitation after the Vijayadashami festival," Kumaraswamy said.
Details of the Police Complaint
Following the protest, Kumaraswamy met Director General of Police Saleem and submitted a complaint, warning that further inaction would invite statewide protests. The complaint, signed by JD(S) legislators and MLCs and led by Legislature Party leader CB Suresh Babu, raises serious allegations about a video circulating on social media concerning public order, women's safety and political stability.
According to the complaint, Rakesh Shetty, presenting himself as a journalist, allegedly secretly recorded a woman without her consent, violating her privacy under Article 21. The woman in the video is allegedly heard speaking about exploitation for sexual purposes involving a political leader. These are claims contained in the complaint.
The complaint alleges the sensitive material was used for publicity and political purposes instead of being reported to authorities, and that the woman was pressured to appear before the media. It alleges the woman was encouraged to seek revenge against Siddaramaiah with assurances of financial help if she spoke publicly.
The conversation was in English, with an intermediary speaking in Tulu, Malayalam and English, and references to Siddaramaiah were allegedly aimed at damaging his reputation, the complaint said.
Allegations of Blackmail and Extortion
The complaint further alleges that Shetty had previously used fabricated stories and purported fake videos to blackmail influential individuals and extort money, and that the current case may involve a wider conspiracy driven by financial and political interests. It alleges the voice encouraging the woman to appear before media and offering to arrange a meeting with Siddaramaiah resembles that of Rakesh Shetty. It accuses Shetty of withholding the video from authorities for years and allegedly using it to threaten politicians, officials and businessmen across party lines.
"A complaint has been lodged with the State Police Director General, demanding the immediate arrest of Rakesh Shetty, a social disruptive force who blackmails politicians, officials, and entrepreneurs through sting operations to extract money, along with his associates Bagepalli Prashanth and Krupa Alva," Kumaraswamy said on X.
The JD(S) also alleged that Shetty had close links with the Congress government and had obtained high-level police protection with political backing. The complaint referred to a court injunction reportedly obtained by Siddaramaiah in connection with the video and to public remarks by his son Yathindra alleging that fabricated videos were being circulated to malign his father.
JD(S) Demands Immediate Investigation
The JD(S) demanded immediate investigation into the origin and authenticity of the video, voice-sample tests, and identification of all those involved in recording, editing and circulation. It demanded action under Sections 65, 66 and 67 of the IT Act and Sections 38, 61, 77, 79, 336, 338, 356, 239 and 308 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
High-Profile Delegation Meets DGP
The delegation that met DGP Saleem included Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former ministers HD Revanna, Bandeppa Kashempur, SR Mahesh, Venkatarao Nadagowda, DC Thammanna, Legislature Party leader CB Suresh Babu, State Core Committee president M Krishnareddy, MP M Mallesh Babu, Greater Bengaluru JD(S) president HM Ramesh Gowda, MLAs TA Sharavana, Karemma Nayak, HT Manjunath, CN Manjegowda, former legislators K Annadani, A Manjunath, Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, Shivashankar, Doddanagowda Patil, spokespersons Devaraj, Pradeep Kumar, youth leader Praveen and other functionaries. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)