Kannada news channel head gets interim bail in Karnataka alleged sting case

Rakesh Shetty, head of a Kannada news channel, has secured interim anticipatory bail in connection with an alleged sting operation being investigated by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru police. The relief is temporary and comes as the court considers his plea for absolute anticipatory bail.

Mr. Shetty approached the CCH-66 City Civil and Sessions Court on Thursday seeking anticipatory bail. On Friday, the court granted interim protection until the disposal of his application for absolute anticipatory bail. It has sought objections from the public prosecutor representing the CCB by October 30. The court said the interim order is subject to conditions and that if Mr. Shetty fails to secure absolute anticipatory bail, he should surrender.

The conditions require Mr. Shetty to execute a personal bond of ₹1 lakh, cooperate with the investigating officer, and not tamper with prosecution witnesses.

Anticipatory bail is a pre-arrest protection granted by a court in anticipation of arrest in a non-bailable offence. Such an order does not decide guilt or innocence. In this case, the protection is interim, and the court has not made a final finding on the allegations.

According to CCB sources, the agency’s cybercrime wing had earlier questioned Mr. Shetty in connection with the case. The investigation concerns an alleged sting operation and the circulation of a purported video.

The development follows a complaint by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh. Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that malicious videos were being circulated on social media to tarnish his reputation. The CCB detained two individuals in connection with the case and interrogated them regarding the circulation of the purported video.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has alleged that members of his party’s social media team were being targeted. He submitted a letter to Karnataka’s Director-General and Inspector-General of Police (DG&IGP) M.A. Saleem, demanding Mr. Shetty’s arrest and accusing him of involvement in the alleged operation.

On Friday, Mr. Kumaraswamy held a press conference where he alleged that senior members of the government were attempting to shield Mr. Shetty from legal action. He also alleged that some police officers were working behind the scenes to ensure that Mr. Shetty secured bail easily.

These are allegations made by political leaders and have not been established in court. The CCB is investigating the case, and the court will hear the public prosecutor’s objections before deciding on the plea for absolute anticipatory bail. The legal proceedings will determine whether the allegations are substantiated.

The case has drawn attention because it involves a former Chief Minister, a Union Minister, a police investigation and a news channel. Under Indian law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Bail proceedings are not a trial on guilt or innocence; they concern liberty pending investigation or trial, and conditions are imposed to ensure cooperation with the probe and protect witnesses.

The CCB is the Bengaluru police unit that investigates serious and organised crime, including cybercrime. Its cybercrime wing examines offences involving digital content. The court’s October 30 timeline will be the next step in the bail proceedings, and further developments are expected after the public prosecutor submits objections.