Karnataka Sting Row Widens Amid Siddaramaiah Video Probe

The current controversy centers on the circulation of two purported hidden-camera videos targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who stepped down in May 2026 ahead of D.K. Shivakumar taking office in June. Filmed in 2023 and referencing unverified claims from 2011, the videos drew over 3.24 lakh views by early October 2026 via a YouTube handle named "Karnataka Honeytrap" and local broadcasts.

On October 13, Siddaramaiah obtained an interim court injunction restraining media outlets and social platforms from sharing the footage. By October 16, Bengaluru cybercrime police registered a formal case under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal conspiracy, forgery, extortion, and identity theft, under the supervision of Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh.

​The fallout has exposed factional and inter-party friction. Former minister K.N. Rajanna, who told the state assembly in March 2025 that 48 politicians had been honeytrapped, claimed an organized "sting factory" operates in Karnataka using imported surveillance equipment.

Rajanna also suggested the videos may have served as political leverage during the mid-2026 leadership transition. Meanwhile, Bengaluru police questioned five Janata Dal (Secular) workers in connection with the video circulation, prompting Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to lead a protest march to the state police headquarters on October 17. The episode builds on Karnataka's recent history of high-profile video scandals, including the 2021 resignation of Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and the August 2025 life sentence handed to former MP Prajwal Revanna for rape.

1. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar proactively cautioned cabinet ministers and senior party leaders against systematic sting operations to protect innocent officials from blackmail and safeguard the reputation of the Congress government.

2. ​Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi confirmed on October 8, 2026, that operatives from North India working with private agencies attempted to trap Chief Minister Shivakumar, demonstrating that top leadership is actively countering external threats.

3. ​Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah condemned the circulated videos as fabricated propaganda, with Siddaramaiah swiftly pursuing legal injunctions and formal cybercrime complaints to establish accountability.

4. ​Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga alleged on October 14, 2026, that a Union minister and a state BJP leader financed the sting operations, presenting a pen drive that he stated contained evidence of an opposition-backed conspiracy.

1. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe and accused four retired police officials of running a phone-tapping unit targeting ministers since D.K. Shivakumar assumed office in June 2026.

2. ​Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka accused the ruling Congress party of internal betrayal, stating that party infighting forced former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to seek judicial protection on his own.

3. ​Congress MLA and former minister K.N. Rajanna acknowledged that an active "sting factory" operates within Karnataka using imported equipment, noting he could not rule out that the videos influenced the June 2026 chief ministerial transition.

4. ​H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Janata Dal (Secular) accused Bengaluru police of political harassment and conducting a biased investigation after officers issued late-night notices and questioned five party workers over the video row.