Who is Kripa Alva, Congress leader at centre of Karnataka sting row

At the centre of the alleged sting operation video row in Karnataka involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is Kripa Alva, a Congress spokesperson from Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, who appeared before the Crime Branch for questioning on Sunday.

The police had issued Alva a notice following a complaint filed by Siddaramaiah, who alleged that unidentified individuals had circulated a fabricated video containing malicious allegations against him in an attempt to blackmail and defame him.

The 60-year-old Congress leader was chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights from 2015 to 2018, during Siddaramaiah’s first term as Chief Minister.

Alva entered active politics years after she was widowed in 1992. Her husband, Amar Alva, a prominent figure in Mangaluru, was shot dead in a killing attributed to rivalry between two gangs.

She subsequently founded the Amar Alva Charitable Trust and was associated with several social service organisations before joining the Congress. She had unsuccessfully lobbied for a party ticket to contest elections from a constituency in Dakshina Kannada district.

Alva’s alleged role in the purported sting operation came under scrutiny after the video began circulating online. She is purportedly heard with Rakesh Shetty, managing director of Kannada news channel Power TV, during the sting operation conducted in 2023. Siddaramaiah has accused Alva and Shetty of being involved in what he describes as a fabricated video.

Meanwhile, Karnataka minister and Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra has alleged that a woman Congress leader orchestrated the purported sting to secure the party ticket from Puttur constituency in the next Assembly election. The Karnataka Congress unit has also issued Alva a show-cause notice over the episode.

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Multiple attempts to contact Alva were unsuccessful, with her phone switched off over the preceding three days.

After effects of the ‘sting’

On October 13, a Bengaluru civil court restrained media organisations and digital platforms from publishing, broadcasting or circulating the videos and related material, and directed that access to the content be blocked.

In his plea, Siddaramaiah argued that the footage and its presentation were intended to cause irreparable damage to his reputation.

The controversy has escalated into a political flashpoint for the Congress, as it has revived questions about factional tensions within the state unit and the political fallout of the purported sting.

Kumaraswamy slams Congress

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Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy, who has repeatedly attacked the state government over the controversy, said on Sunday that Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other Congress leaders knew why the sting operation had been conducted. He alleged that the JD(S) was being targeted over the issue.

“Select police officers are appointed to investigate the case,” Kumaraswamy said, alleging that after the purported blackmail of Siddaramaiah, the state government was attempting to blackmail the regional party.

Responding to questions about the investigation, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said it was only a matter of time before those involved were exposed. “Who did it? Why did they do it? Who got the video years after the sting was conducted? How was it uploaded all of a sudden amid wide publicity? Everything will be exposed in a few days,” he added.