Karnataka minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah has alleged that individuals within the Congress party played a role in a purported "sting operation" designed to tarnish the reputation of his father, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Speaking publicly for the first time on the matter, the minister suggested that the controversy surrounding a 2023 video was part of a broader effort to blackmail the veteran leader and undermine his political legacy.
The allegations center on a video that went viral on September 27. According to both the former Chief Minister and his son, the footage was a "concocted" effort involving multiple parties, including a media organization. The elder Siddaramaiah stated that the video features a woman from Mangaluru and Rakesh Shetty, the Managing Director of Power TV. Siddaramaiah asserted that Shetty had admitted to conducting the sting, which the former Chief Minister dismissed as false propaganda intended for blackmail.
Yathindra Siddaramaiah provided further detail, noting that the woman seen in the footage appeared to be a Congress party worker. According to the minister, who oversees the Urban Development portfolio, the primary objective of the operation appeared to be assisting the woman in securing an assembly election ticket for the 2023 Puttur polls. While acknowledging the potential involvement of party members, Yathindra emphasized that such actions did not reflect the stance of the entire organization.
The legal fallout from the incident has been significant. Following a complaint filed by the former Chief Minister on October 6, Bengaluru police launched an investigation into the matter. To prevent the further spread of the content, Siddaramaiah successfully obtained an injunction from a civil court, which prohibits the airing or telecasting of the video on social media platforms.
In the wake of police summons for interrogation, Rakesh Shetty sought anticipatory bail. His legal counsel argued that the Power TV executive was neither the owner nor the administrator of the YouTube channel where the video was originally uploaded. On Friday, a local court in Bengaluru granted Shetty interim bail as the investigation continues.
Regarding the path forward, Yathindra Siddaramaiah indicated that the family currently has faith in the existing police inquiry. He stated that they are not demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) at this juncture, though he did not rule out seeking a different investigative agency if the current process proves inadequate or improper. The minister noted that his father, who has spent four decades in public life, remains naturally upset by the false allegations surfaced toward the end of his career.
The former Chief Minister maintained his composure regarding the incident, reiterating that the truth would emerge through the ongoing official investigation. He emphasized that he was not personally disturbed by the video, characterizing it as a fabricated narrative. As the police continue to examine the circumstances under which the footage was produced and circulated, the focus remains on determining the full extent of the involvement of those accused by the Siddaramaiah family.
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