Sting video fabricated to malign Karnataka figures, Bengaluru police say

Bengaluru City Police said on October 29 that a sting video circulating on social media, which purportedly depicts sexual abuse, appears to rest on a fabricated narrative, and that the evidence gathered so far does not substantiate the incident it portrays.

In a statement detailing the progress of the investigation, the police said every person appearing in the video had been identified and examined at length, some of them on more than one occasion. Their statements, together with the material collected so far, prima facie indicate that the allegations made or implied against individuals in the recording are false and concocted.

The police said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the creation, recording, possession, transfer and dissemination of the video. It was allegedly recorded in 2023 in connection with an incident that purportedly dates back to 2011.

The mobile phone said to have been used to record the video has been traced, recovered and seized. It has been sent for forensic examination to establish the authenticity and integrity of the recording, and the report is awaited. Investigators are also examining why the video was recorded nearly 12 years after the purported incident, the identities and roles of those involved, and their possible motives. A key line of inquiry is whether the recording was staged, fabricated or manipulated to create a misleading narrative.

Uploads through anonymous accounts

The technical investigation has established that the video was uploaded to multiple social media platforms, including YouTube and X, during September and October. According to the police, the uploads were made through anonymous accounts using digital concealment methods, including virtual private networks, masked IP addresses, virtual and spoofed phone numbers and other anonymisation techniques. Some digital traces were linked to locations outside Karnataka.

Through technical analysis and examination of electronic evidence, investigators traced a mobile phone associated with the YouTube upload to a shop in Delhi dealing in used and refurbished devices. The individuals involved in procuring the device have been identified.

One accused connected with the procurement of the mobile phone was arrested in the National Capital Region on October 24, following due legal process. His examination has yielded several significant investigative leads, the police said.

Preliminary findings indicate that the accused appears to work as a freelance social media content creator, and may have associations with certain politically connected individuals based in New Delhi. The nature and relevance of these alleged associations are being investigated.

Coordinated effort under the scanner

The police said the investigation had uncovered leads suggesting that the circulation of the video may have been part of a deliberate attempt to malign and discredit individuals holding positions of responsibility in Karnataka, to influence public perception, and to trigger political controversy and public discord. The possibility of a coordinated effort involving multiple individuals in planning, facilitating, uploading or amplifying the video with malicious intent is also being examined.

Certain individuals have been identified for further examination, and notices have been issued to them in accordance with the law. The police have withheld their identities at this stage to protect the investigation, prevent interference with evidence and avoid prejudicing further proceedings.

The police appealed for restraint, urging the public, media organisations and social media users not to amplify unverified allegations or draw premature conclusions that could mislead people or prejudice the ongoing investigation. They said their effort is to establish the facts, identify those responsible for criminal wrongdoing, if any, and bring them to justice.

Allegations of this nature remain unproven until established through due legal process, and no conclusion should be drawn about any person's guilt at this stage.