Delhi man arrested for uploading Siddaramaiah-targeting video, gets bail; JDS link under probe

A Delhi man accused of uploading a video targeting former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah was arrested by Bengaluru Police on Saturday. He was later granted bail by the metropolitan magistrate court, subject to the condition that he will cooperate with the investigation.

The investigators were examining whether he acted on the instructions of a person associated with the Janata Dal (Secular) social media team, according to officers in the know of the development.

The accused, 22-year-old Ritesh Pandey, was arrested in Delhi and brought to Bengaluru, where he was questioned by the Cyber Crime Wing of the Central Crime Branch. Police suspect he uploaded the video, which was circulated through “Karnataka Honey Trap” accounts on YouTube and X.

Accused says he uploaded video on direction of a JDS-linked person

According to the officer, Pandey told investigators that he uploaded the footage at the direction of a person associated with the JD(S) social media team. “The CCB is now trying to identify the person and determine whether others were involved in recording, uploading or distributing the video,” the officer said.

The arrest is the first in the case, which began with a complaint filed by Siddaramaiah over the circulation of the alleged sting operation. Police are examining electronic devices and technical material seized from Pandey, including a second hand mobile phone suspected to have been used to upload the footage. "Teams are also tracing how the video subsequently spread across social media, including Facebook,” the officer added.

The CCB has also issued notices to several people suspected of uploading or sharing the video. Some of those sought by investigators have reportedly become untraceable.

Siddaramaiah says video fabricated

Siddaramaiah has called the video fabricated and alleged that it was part of an attempt to blackmail him. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, he said he had approached the police because he wanted the facts established.

“I have filed a complaint so that the truth comes to light. I have also obtained a stay order from a civil court to prevent further circulation,” he said.

“This is a case of blackmail. It needs to be uncovered who is behind this. I filed the complaint because I know this is a complete fabrication. I served as Chief Minister for eight years, and during that time, no such blackmail attempts were made against me. I do not have authority now,” he said.

The episode has also triggered allegations about possible involvement by people within the Congress. Siddaramaiah’s son and minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah said the woman seen in the video appeared to be a Congress worker and suggested that the purported operation may have been intended to help her obtain a Congress ticket to contest the 2023 Puttur Assembly election. He said the involvement of an individual party worker would not mean that the Congress as a whole was involved.