The alleged sting operation targeting Karnataka Ministers has triggered a political row, with Union Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy demanding a CBI probe into the episode and claiming that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also a victim of the operation.

Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that the controversy could be part of a larger attempt to target political opponents in the State and claimed that the episode might have contributed to Mr. Siddaramaiah giving up the Chief Minister’s post. This came on the day Mr. Siddaramaiah got an injunction against what he described as a campaign to spread false information about him on social media.

In a statement, Mr. Siddaramaiah said a “smear campaign” linking his name to a sting operation video had been circulating on various social media platforms over the past few days. “This clearly appears to be an attempt to assassinate my character out of political malice,” he said.

Claiming that he had no connection with the video, the former Chief Minister alleged that certain people were using it to spread propaganda against him. He said he had already lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, seeking an impartial investigation into the video, and expressed confidence that the truth would emerge.

“My conscience is clear that I am completely innocent in this matter. I am confident that the people of Karnataka, who are familiar with my five-decade-long political career, which has been an open book, are equally aware of this. However, in this age of advanced technology, it has become easy to portray falsehoods as truth. It is only as a precautionary measure that I have approached the court,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the controversy had overshadowed other pressing governance issues in Karnataka and questioned the State government’s handling of the matter. He said he would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and seek a CBI investigation if the Congress government failed to order a probe. “The truth must be revealed,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

He urged Mr. Siddaramaiah to speak out against the alleged sting operation, claiming that such operations had ruined several families in the State. “I am not asking Mr. Siddaramaiah to topple the government, but to raise his voice to expose the leaders involved in the episode,” he said.

The controversy began after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar cautioned his Cabinet colleagues about possible sting operations. At a Cabinet meeting on October 8, Mr. Shivakumar reportedly told Ministers that attempts were being made to “trap” them through such operations. He also claimed that he had been a target of sting operations since becoming Chief Minister and said he had evidence to substantiate his allegations.

Mr. Kumaraswamy also alleged that Mr. Shivakumar had appointed four retired police officers and installed sophisticated equipment to tap the telephones of his own Cabinet colleagues. He questioned why the Chief Minister was waiting for the “right time to answer” instead of ordering an investigation.

Congress MLA K.N. Rajanna also called for a probe, arguing that Mr. Shivakumar should substantiate his claim that he possessed photographic evidence of the alleged operation. The Chief Minister was duty-bound to order an investigation, failing which his claims would remain unsubstantiated, he said.