Kumaraswamy seeks SIT probe into sting video, alleges blackmail and extortion plot
Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy has petitioned Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem, seeking a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into a controversial sting video circulating on social media. In his representation, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that the video was edited and misused to target political leaders and to facilitate alleged blackmail and extortion.
The petition follows a sit-in protest the JD(S) leader staged at the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner's office over the detention of two workers of the party's IT Wing for allegedly spreading the video in question.
In his complaint, Mr. Kumaraswamy sought the arrest and prosecution of those allegedly involved in secretly recording, manipulating and exploiting the video. The petition names Rakesh Shetty, described in it as the owner and anchor of Power TV. No public response from Mr. Shetty to the allegations was immediately available.
The petition alleges that the woman featured in the video was recorded without her knowledge or consent, and raises concerns over her privacy, dignity and safety. According to the JD(S), the woman is heard making serious allegations that a prominent political leader had exploited her sexually. These claims, like the contents of the video itself, have not been independently verified, and the authenticity of the recording is a matter that an investigation would have to establish.
The petition further claims that the woman was pressured to appear before the media and encouraged to make statements against the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, allegedly with promises of financial support. The petition's description of Mr. Siddaramaiah as the then Chief Minister suggests the events it refers to date to a period when he held that office.
Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Kumaraswamy questioned why Mr. Siddaramaiah had remained silent over what he described as a "conspiracy" that allegedly led to his exit. "Isn't your blood boiling over the conspiracy against you, Siddaramaiah?" Mr. Kumaraswamy asked.
A Special Investigation Team is a dedicated unit drawn from different branches of the police, usually constituted for complex or sensitive cases that require coordinated investigation. It was not immediately clear whether the police have registered a case on the basis of the petition or fixed a timeline for a decision on the request for an SIT.
The allegations now centre on three separate questions: whether the recording was made with the woman's consent, whether it was edited or selectively released, and whether it was used to pressure anyone. Each of these is a matter of evidence rather than assertion, and the positions of the persons named have not yet been placed on record in any official proceeding.
Political exchanges over the video have sharpened in recent days, with the JD(S) pressing for a probe and the detention of its IT Wing workers becoming a rallying point for the party. The episode also raises questions about how unverified recordings circulate on social media, and the harm they can cause to the individuals shown in them, irrespective of how the dispute between political parties is finally resolved.
Reporting on such material requires care. Media organisations generally avoid identifying individuals shown in recordings of this nature, particularly where consent is disputed, and this report does not name the woman or describe her beyond what the petition states.
The JD(S) has said it will pursue the matter with the police and, if necessary, escalate it further. The police have not publicly commented on the substance of the petition.
