Bengaluru: Union minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday questioned why police were concentrating on identifying who uploaded the sting video allegedly targeting former CM Siddaramaiah , instead of investigating who recorded it and who masterminded the operation.
He also questioned Singh’s declaration on Oct 29 that the alleged sexual assault was fabricated, pointing out that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report had not yet been received. Kumaraswamy also sought an explanation for why an incident that allegedly occurred in 2011 was recorded only in 2023 and what prompted the video to surface that year. Denying that arrested accused Rithish Kumar had stayed at his official residence in Delhi or that mobile phones had been exchanged there, Kumaraswamy referred to court records showing Kumar’s address as Ghaziabad and his arrest at Indirapuram on Oct 23 at 2.59pm.
Claiming that it had been issued at the CM’s direction, he said the disclosure violated Supreme Court guidelines governing information about pending investigations. He said the police were free to investigate any suspected exchange of phones and that he would instruct his security personnel to facilitate their inquiry. Questioning the timing of police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh’s statement that the phone used to upload the video had changed hands at his Delhi residence, Kumaraswamy alleged that the police statement followed a meeting involving the CM, director general of police and the commissioner at Kanteerava Stadium after Sunday’s Rajyotsava celebrations. Alleging a political conspiracy to implicate him, Kumaraswamy accused the state police of acting at the behest of Congress leaders to build a case against him and give Siddaramaiah a clean chit. “My doors are always open to anyone who wants to inquire. But nobody can touch me. He asked how the police could reach such a conclusion before receiving forensic findings, alleging that the move was aimed at protecting Siddaramaiah and the state govt. He called for an investigation into the role of former Karnataka Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Krupa Alva, emails reportedly sent by a woman from Kerala, the identity of another man seen in the video and the circumstances surrounding Alva’s alleged travel abroad.
Displaying an old Assembly video in which Shivakumar had spoken about the culture of CDs and sting operations during the Ramesh Jarkiholi controversy, Kumaraswamy challenged him to explain the conduct of the present investigation. He also questioned the sudden replacement of investigating officer Satish and demanded a proper examination of the seized mobile phones.