Bengaluru, Oct. 16 -- Karnataka's alleged sting operation row escalated on Thursday, with Union minister H D Kumaraswamy demanding an independent probe into claims that compromising videos were used in an attempt to force former chief minister Siddaramaiah out of office. Kumaraswamy accused Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of orchestrating the operation and alleged that the police were targeting Janata Dal (Secular) workers over the circulation of the videos.

The state Cabinet discussed the controversy for more than an hour but did not order a separate Special Investigation Team (SIT). The police are investigating the circulation of the videos after a complaint by Siddaramaiah, and a Bengaluru court has restrained 42 media organisations and...