Bengaluru, 13 Oct (H.S.): Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday demanded a CBI investigation into alleged sting operations involving Karnataka’s political leaders, escalating a controversy sparked by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s warning to his Cabinet colleagues.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy questioned former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to obtain a court stay concerning a video and urged him to respond publicly.

He said Shivakumar should order an investigation and announced that he would raise the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The controversy gathered momentum after Shivakumar reportedly cautioned ministers at a recent Cabinet meeting that a sting operation was underway. The warning triggered sharp exchanges between ruling and opposition leaders during the Navaratri festivities.

Kumaraswamy alleged that Shivakumar had encouraged such operations in the past and was now confronting the consequences. He also claimed that four retired police officers had been stationed at the Chief Minister’s Sadashivanagar residence, using advanced equipment to gather information about ministers.

These allegations were not independently established in the account provided.

Referring to the case involving former MP Prajwal Revanna, Kumaraswamy alleged that the circulation of videos through pen drives ahead of the previous Lok Sabha election had been used to politically damage the family of former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

He accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of raising the issue in India and abroad to tarnish Gowda’s reputation.

Kumaraswamy also referred to purported conversations involving Devaraje Gowda and former Mandya MP L.R. Shivarame Gowda, alleging a political conspiracy against his family.

He maintained that his party had not described the videos linked to Prajwal as artificial intelligence creations.

Questioning the silence surrounding the controversy, Kumaraswamy reiterated his demand for a central investigation. The supplied account did not include responses from Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah or the other leaders named in his allegations at the conference.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman