Siddaramaiah Sting Operation: Son Yathindra Alleges Own Party Leaders' Role, Demands Arrests of All Involved

The controversy over the sting operation linked to former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took a sharper turn on Friday, with his son and state Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah alleging that insiders had carried it out to tarnish his father's image. Yathindra said the operation was meant to destroy Siddaramaiah's 40 year political legacy and to blackmail him.

He said the investigation would establish whether the people seen in the video had acted on their own or at someone else's behest. Two persons, including a journalist, have been detained and questioned in the case so far, and a media person has been summoned for questioning.

What Did Yathindra Allege About the Sting Video?

Speaking to the media in Mysuru, Yathindra said the video purportedly showed the involvement of some Congress leaders and a senior media person, which made it necessary to investigate the circumstances under which the sting operation was carried out. He alleged the operation was done to tarnish his father's image, destroy his legacy and blackmail him, and said the probe should establish whether those involved did it themselves or were asked to do it by someone else.

Asked about the alleged involvement of Congress leaders, he said the reference was to a woman leader whose involvement was purportedly indicated in the video. According to him, she had reportedly spoken about seeking a Congress ticket to contest from the Puttur Assembly constituency, and prima facie the operation may have been carried out for that reason. He added that the entire party could not be said to have conspired against them just because one party worker was involved, and that he did not suspect anyone in particular.

What Has Siddaramaiah Told the Government?

Yathindra said his father had made it clear to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge that the investigation must be conducted effectively and that whoever is behind the operation must be arrested, irrespective of identity. He said Siddaramaiah had been briefed about the detentions and the summoning of the media person.

Expressing faith in the ongoing investigation, Yathindra said the government was committed to a transparent probe and that the police were handling the case effectively. He added that if the investigation was not conducted properly, they would demand a high level probe.

How Has the Sting Row Affected Siddaramaiah?

Yathindra said his father was hurt by the circulation of what he described as false reports and allegations against him. He noted that Siddaramaiah had spent nearly 40 years in politics without facing charges of this kind, and that such allegations emerging at the fag end of his career were a matter of sadness. The truth, he said, was on their side and would prevail once the investigation brought out the facts.

He also spoke about his mother's reaction, saying she was unaware of the details and was currently in Mysuru, and that she would be convinced once she was told his father had done nothing wrong. Yathindra's remarks assume significance against the backdrop of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleging the role of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in releasing the sting video linked to Siddaramaiah, an allegation Shivakumar has outright denied while ordering a probe into the matter.