BENGALURU, Oct. 28 -- A woman who featured in a purported sting video targeting Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has told investigators that she never met him and made the recorded statements on the instructions of a group in 2023, police officials said.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB), which is probing the case following a complaint by the former chief minister, confirmed that the woman reiterated that she had no personal interaction with him. She also told police that she met Rakesh Shetty, managing director of Power TV, and Kripa Alva, both of whom have been questioned in the case.

Police registered the case on October 6 based on Siddaramaiah's complaint, in which he alleged that individuals linked to a YouTube channel fabricated...