Bengaluru: The mobile phone allegedly used to upload a video targeting a former Karnataka chief minister was exchanged at the official Delhi residence of Union minister HD Kumaraswamy , according to Bengaluru City police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh.
Ritesh was arrested in Delhi on Oct 24 for his alleged role in procuring the phone. The investigation is being supervised by deputy commissioner of police (Crime-2) Raja Imam Kasim P. Significantly, the video was allegedly recorded in 2023 and purportedly related to an incident dating to 2011. Police are investigating why it was recorded 12 years after the alleged incident.
On investigations into alleged sting operation being probed by Cyber Crime Police Station of Central Crime Branch, Singh said: “Accused Ritesh Pandey , arrested in connection with the case, had confessed the phone was exchanged at Kumaraswamy’s residence. Police said they had also approached legal channels seeking anticipatory bail. After being questioned over several days, he left Bengaluru with the investigating officer’s permission, a senior officer said. On Oct 29, police had said the evidence gathered so far indicated that the allegations of sexual abuse portrayed in the video were part of a “fabricated and deliberately constructed narrative”. Statements recorded and evidence collected during the investigation had not substantiated the occurrence of any incident as depicted in the video, police said.
However, investigators are yet to establish who else was involved in the exchange and the extent of their roles in the alleged conspiracy. police are verifying details of the purchase in Karol Bagh and are awaiting further interrogation reports While his initial statements have been recorded.
Pandey allegedly worked in coordination with Vinod Sharma , a freelance social media content creator, and Prajwal Prasad, an alleged member of the JD(S) social media wing, to procure the mobile phone, according to the preliminary investigation.