Bengaluru, Oct 24 (IANS) The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru police detained and questioned 22-year-old Ritesh Kumar Pande, a resident of Delhi, in connection with the alleged sting operation video linked to former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah, police said on Saturday.
Pande was questioned for around two hours at the office of CCB Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Raja Imam Khasim P.
Police suspect that he was involved in uploading the video, which was circulated through the ‘Karnataka Honey Trap’ accounts on social media platforms YouTube and X.
The police have seized the mobile phone allegedly used to upload the video.
Other mobile phones found in Pande’s possession have also been taken into custody for examination.
The seizure procedure, including the preparation of the mahazar (panchanama) was videographed as part of the investigation.
According to the police, the CCB tracked the location from which the video was uploaded and identified the person allegedly responsible for uploading it.
Pande was brought to Bengaluru from Delhi by CCB officials on Friday for questioning.
The police are likely to produce him before a judge and seek his custody for further investigation.
Investigators are expected to focus on identifying the people who allegedly directed him to upload the video and establishing the motive and larger conspiracy behind its circulation.
The case was registered following a complaint by former CM Siddaramaiah with the Cyber Crime Police over the circulation of the alleged sting operation video.
Pande’s detention is understood to be the first major breakthrough in the investigation, though further legal proceedings and police confirmation are awaited.
The video reportedly features a media professional in connection with the controversy surrounding the alleged sting operation.
The media professional has secured bail in the case.
The CCB is continuing its investigation to establish the chain of events leading to the recording and circulation of the video, including the source of the footage, those involved in its distribution and the possible role of other individuals.
Police are examining the seized electronic devices and other technical evidence to establish the circumstances under which the video was uploaded and circulated on social media platforms.
It can be noted that Karnataka Minister for Urban Development Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Friday alleged that insiders had carried out the sting operation involving his father and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, to tarnish his image, destroy his 40-year political legacy and blackmail him.
Siddaramaiah on Friday named a journalist and Congress leader Krupa Alva of Mangaluru, as those allegedly behind the sting operation, describing it as a systematic conspiracy to blackmail him and tarnish his image through false allegations.
–IANS
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