Can't touch me: Kumaraswamy's dare after Siddaramaiah 'sting op' takes turn
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday raised questions about the Bengaluru police investigation into the alleged sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, asking why the investigators searched the residence of his staff member and seized his wife's bank passbook.
Speaking to reporters, the JD(S) leader accused the Karnataka government of conducting a one-sided probe while overlooking questions about those actually involved in carrying out the "sting operation."
He also questioned why the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru police searched the residence of his staff member Mohan Gowda and seized his mobile phone and his wife's passbook, asking what connection the woman had with the matter.
"How is this police behaving?" he remarked.
This comes a day after Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that the mobile phone supposedly used in the alleged sting operation was purchased in Delhi and handed over to a person named Prajwal Prasad at Kumaraswamy's official residence in the national capital.
The JD(S) leader took aim at Karnataka's ruling Congress and Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, saying, "Mr DK Shivakumar, you came to power by doing all this sting operation."
According to Bengaluru police, which cited a statement made by Ritesh Pandey, an accused arrested in the case, the handover of the phone was made on Prasad's instructions.
Pandey, a Delhi-based man, was arrested on October 24 in connection with uploading a video of the alleged sting operation on social media.
He was the first person who was arrested in connection with the investigation. The CCB took him into custody in Delhi and later brought him to Bengaluru for questioning.
"On the instructions of Prajwal Prasad, Vinod Sharma and Ritesh Pandey purchased a mobile phone from a shop in Karol Bagh. They later handed the phone over to Prajwal Prasad at Kumaraswamy's official residence in Delhi," Singh said.
Two videos containing serious allegations against Siddaramaiah were uploaded on YouTube, purportedly in September.
Following the circulation of the clips, the Congress leader approached the court and obtained an injunction restraining the media from reporting on the videos.
He also lodged a police complaint seeking a probe. Several police teams are investigating various aspects of the alleged sting operation.
Kumaraswamy alleged the weaponisation of Karnataka's state machinery against him. He said, "Our social media team members, Chandan and Mohan Gowda, are being called for questioning every day."
He added, "What kind of investigation are you conducting? You make them sit from morning till evening and then tell them to come back the next day."
"I want to ask Siddaramaiah: Why did you obtain a stay order? I had only said that your old voice recording should be made public. I have said this earlier as well. You can listen to my earlier statements if you wish," Kumaraswamy said.
"You had given a certificate in the Assembly saying that the police in our state are honest and upright. How are you using those very police officers now?
Last week, Bengaluru City Police claimed that the allegations of sexual abuse portrayed in the viral sting video linked to Siddaramaiah were part of a fabricated and deliberately constructed narrative.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the probe into the matter was progressing and that technical evidence and several significant leads had emerged.
He said strict legal action would be taken against anyone found involved, irrespective of their influence or position.
"Several important aspects have emerged during the technical examination of the evidence. The investigation is still underway, and more details will come out as it progresses. Anyone found involved will face legal action, no matter how influential they are," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.- Ends(With additional inputs from agencies)
