BENGALURU, Oct. 13 -- A controversy over alleged sting operations targeting Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and members of his Cabinet has triggered a political confrontation, with Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy demanding an investigation and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah calling for those responsible to be identified.
The row began after Shivakumar warned his Cabinet colleagues on October 8 that attempts were being made to trap ministers and government officials through sting operations. He claimed that he possessed evidence identifying those involved, including the alleged mastermind and financiers. The Chief Minister maintained that attempts to target him had begun soon after he assumed office and said he had collected photographs and documents relating to the alleged operations. The claims have not been independently established, and no official investigation into the alleged conspiracy has been announced.
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Addressing reporters last week, Shivakumar said he knew who was allegedly organising and financing the operations but did not consider it necessary to disclose their identities immediately.
He said he occupied a position of responsibility and would not make allegations without supporting material. The Chief Minister also cautioned his ministers and officials to remain vigilant against attempts to entrap them through private meetings or other interactions. The controversy intensified when Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga displayed a pen drive and claimed that it contained evidence linking a Union minister and a Karnataka BJP leader to the alleged operations.
Ganiga said he would release the documents within a week. However, the contents of the pen drive and the allegations concerning those purportedly involved have not been independently verified.
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Union Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday questioned why the Karnataka government had not ordered an investigation despite the Chief Minister's assertions that he possessed evidence. Kumaraswamy criticised Shivakumar's statement that time would provide answers, arguing that the government was responsible for establishing the facts through a formal inquiry.
He demanded that the authorities identify those who allegedly organised, financed and conducted the operations and explain why action had not been initiated.vThe JD(S) leader also questioned allegations surrounding a purported meeting between Shivakumar and an individual allegedly associated with sting operations at a five-star hotel in Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy has separately alleged that a sting operation was used to pressure Siddaramaiah into relinquishing the Chief Minister's post earlier this year. The Congress has rejected the allegation as politically motivated and baseless.
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Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also weighed in on the controversy, saying he was aware of claims concerning sting operations and that those responsible should be identified. He questioned whether the truth should not be established about who was conducting such operations.
Kumaraswamy subsequently cited Siddaramaiah's remarks to reinforce his demand for an investigation, asking why the state government was reluctant to act when senior Congress leaders themselves had raised concerns. Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah has approached a Bengaluru civil court seeking an injunction against the publication or circulation of allegedly defamatory material connected with a purported sting operation. The court was expected to consider the plea on Tuesday. The allegations surrounding the purported operation have not been judicially established.
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Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra criticised the developments, saying political standards in the state had deteriorated. He alleged that the controversy reflected troubling practices within political circles and expressed concern over their impact on public confidence in elected representatives.
Vijayendra said the facts surrounding the alleged operations would eventually emerge and that those responsible for any wrongdoing should face consequences. His remarks added to the pressure on the Congress government to clarify the allegations and disclose whether any evidence had been submitted to investigative authorities.
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Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, however, disputed Kumaraswamy's interpretation of the Chief Minister's remarks. Jarkiholi said Shivakumar had warned Cabinet colleagues about the possibility of future attempts to entrap them through financial inducements or other means, rather than confirming that such operations had already succeeded.
He maintained that the Chief Minister had not publicly named any individual as being responsible and had primarily advised ministers to exercise caution. The competing accounts have added to uncertainty over the nature and extent of the alleged operations. With Opposition leaders demanding an investigation and the Chief Minister maintaining that he possesses evidence, the controversy has become a fresh point of contention in Karnataka politics ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
The central questions remain whether the alleged operations took place, who may have commissioned them and whether the government will order an inquiry to establish the facts.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.