Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy reiterated his allegations against Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in connection with the alleged sting operation targeting former CM Siddaramaiah, claiming that he has documentary evidence and will pursue the matter through legal channels.
Speaking to CNN-News18, Kumaraswamy accused Shivakumar of being the mastermind behind the alleged sting operation and claimed that the issue had been initiated by the Chief Minister.
“I am protecting the interests of the state and the country by bringing this issue up. This issue was started by the Karnataka Chief Minister. He is the main culprit in this,” Kumaraswamy said.
He further alleged that Shivakumar had been blackmailing officials and politicians in Karnataka for
several years, claiming that the alleged practice was being carried out systematically.
Questioning who was actually behind the sting operation and what role Shivakumar had played in it, Kumaraswamy alleged that the state government was attempting to protect the person who was the backbone of the incident. He also questioned why the police were not taking action against the news channel that conducted the sting operation, claiming that more than 70 non-bailable warrants had been issued against it.
Referring to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s statement, Kumaraswamy alleged that it had been made under pressure from Shivakumar. He also questioned the use of call detail records (CDRs) to link him to the case, saying that hundreds of people visit his residence every day and that a social media worker had been seen moving around his house.
Kumaraswamy claimed that he had documentary evidence relating to Shivakumar’s activities in 2023-24 and said he would use it to fight the matter through judicial proceedings.
Responding to Minister Priyank Kharge’s statement that the Prajwal Revanna case had been properly investigated and that the investigating officers were being rewarded by the PM Modi-led government, Kumaraswamy said the officers had made a significant contribution to the probe. However, he questioned who had recommended their names and who had awarded them Rs 30 lakh.
He also alleged that Prajwal Revanna had not uploaded the videos himself, claiming that Shivakumar and others had arranged for someone to upload them on international channels. Kumaraswamy further alleged that the police machinery and CDRs had been used to achieve their objectives in the Prajwal Revanna case, but said the same tactics would not work this time.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge Responds to HD Kumaraswamy
Responding to Kumaraswamy’s statement that nobody could touch him, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said nobody was interested in doing so either.
“If you recollect, he was the one who, when we sent notices to his office-bearers to appear and give a statement, came to the Commissioner’s office, staged a dharna and said, ‘Touch me.’ We are not interested in touching him. If there is no evidence against him, why would we want to call him? But even if there is a shred of evidence against him, we will summon him. We will not hesitate,” Kharge said.
On Kumaraswamy’s claim that he did not know Ritesh Pandey, one of the accused in the sting operation case, Kharge said that such a denial would naturally be the first reaction.
“He definitely knows who Ritesh’s friends are. He definitely knows what his friends are doing in his office. It is just a matter of time. Why is he in such a hurry to be shown what evidence we have?” he said.
Responding to Kumaraswamy’s allegation that the state government was using the police machinery to suit its interests, Kharge cited the award given to the Karnataka Police for their investigation into the Prajwal Revanna case.
“Just yesterday, we got an award from the Central government for Prajwal Revanna’s case, his nephew’s case, saying that we have done an excellent job. Amit Shah ji gave a medal, saying that the Karnataka Police have done a great job. He just has to be a little patient. We will show what Karnataka Police is capable of,” Kharge said.
Asked about Kumaraswamy questioning why the Police Commissioner had held a press conference on a public holiday, Karnataka Rajyotsava, and what the urgency was, Kharge said, “Holiday? You can do any unholy activities on any day. And we can’t say anything because it is Karnataka Rajyotsava. Is there a law like that? I don’t remember reading the Constitution that way.”
On Kumaraswamy’s objection to the police disclosing information while the investigation was underway, Kharge said Kumaraswamy himself had been seeking details about the probe.
“We gave him information and he is flustered. We have told him very clearly that we are not going to divulge any information that is going to affect the course of the investigation. We are not going to affect the result of the investigation. So why is he so upset? I don’t know. I think seriously people should give him some job,” Kharge said.
