# Bengaluru Police Prepare to Search Union Minister Kumaraswamy's Delhi Residence in Siddaramaiah Sting Probe

> The investigation into an alleged fake sting targeting Karnataka leader Siddaramaiah intensifies as Bengaluru police plan a search at Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy's official residence in New Delhi.

**Type:** article · **Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-11-04 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/karnataka-ke-purva-mukhyamntri-siddaramaiah-stinga-vivada-men-kendriya-mntri-kumaraswamy-ke-delhi-avasa-para-talashi-ki-taiyari-56578 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Siddaramaiah, HD Kumaraswamy, Bengaluru Police, Central Crime Branch, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Karnataka Politics, Delhi

The contentious investigation surrounding an alleged fake sting operation targeting prominent Karnataka politician and Congress Working Committee member Siddaramaiah has now reached New Delhi. Bengaluru police authorities are preparing to conduct a search at the official residence of Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy located in the national capital. Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh recently convened a strategic session alongside senior police officers to deliberate on the evidentiary trail and finalise the subsequent operational steps.

## Central Crime Branch Questioning and Device Seizure
This development followed the appearance of Prajwal Prasad, who is identified as an associate of Kumaraswamy's social media public relations team, before law enforcement officials. Prasad appeared on November 3 before the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru to record his deposition in connection with the controversial video operation designed to target the former chief minister. During his interrogation, Prasad claimed complete innocence, maintaining that his awareness of the entire controversy came strictly through social media platforms. He also stated that he had no acquaintance with content creator Ritesh Kumar Pandey. Investigating officers nonetheless seized Prasad's mobile handset and dispatched it for detailed forensic examination.

## Device Purchase in Karol Bagh and Transfer to Kushak Road
The Central Crime Branch had previously issued an official notice to Prajwal Prasad regarding allegations that he provided a mobile phone to Ritesh Kumar Pandey at Kumaraswamy's official bungalow in New Delhi. Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh stated that the particular mobile handset allegedly deployed to upload the sting footage was initially purchased inside Delhi and subsequently transported to Kumaraswamy's official residence on Kushak Road.

Disclosures from Ritesh Pandey, who was apprehended from New Delhi, offered further details on the logistical chain. Pandey told investigators during questioning that he, along with Vinod Sharma, bought the mobile phone from the commercial market in Karol Bagh. He claimed that this procurement occurred on the specific instructions of Prajwal Prasad, who is allegedly linked to the Union Minister's digital outreach unit. Police inquiries established that the newly bought phone was brought to Kumaraswamy's Kushak Road bungalow and handed over to Prajwal Prasad, serving as the suspected vehicle for distributing the controversial video material.

## State Minister Tangadagi Mounts Political Offensive
As forensic and field inquiries widened, sharp political exchanges erupted in Karnataka. Shivaraj Tangadagi, the state's Minister for Kannada and Culture as well as Backward Classes Welfare, launched a scathing broadside against Kumaraswamy on November 4. Tangadagi publicly questioned why the Union Minister repeatedly insists that injustice is being meted out to Siddaramaiah in this episode. The state minister asked whether such public posturing and alleged publicity campaigns were actually meant to benefit the former chief minister.

Tangadagi directly alleged that the promotion and dissemination of the sting operation had been orchestrated through Kumaraswamy's own office establishment. He asked what guarantee exists that the JD(S) leader played no part in the broader episode. The state minister further accused Kumaraswamy of attempting to sow discord within the ruling Congress party by driving an artificial wedge between Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. Tangadagi stated, “Kumaraswamy uploaded and circulated the video.” He further argued that engaging in such covert political actions was inappropriate for a former head of state government.

## What this means for you
This high-profile police probe underscores the growing scrutiny over digital operations and political disinformation across administrative boundaries.

- **Across India:** Law enforcement action tracing electronic devices across state borders illustrates the strict technical tracking applied to fake viral materials. Readers should critically evaluate controversial political multimedia circulating on social platforms before treating them as authentic.
- **In Karnataka:** Heightened legal scrutiny involving high-ranking leaders will intensify political friction between the ruling party and opposition groups. For local residents, it demonstrates that law enforcement agencies actively pursue digital forensic trails to uncover potential public deception.
- **For social media operators:** Content creators and digital managers face stringent legal accountability for distributing unverified or deceptive campaigns. Handling communication hardware or assisting distribution networks without verifying credentials can trigger direct criminal investigation.
- **Regarding investigation standards:** The rapid seizure of hardware and forensic analysis emphasizes the primacy of digital paper trails in modern governance disputes. Citizens and professionals must recognize that electronic transactions and equipment movements leave clear investigative footprints.

## Why this happened
The escalation occurred after an allegedly fabricated sting video targeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah was released on social platforms. Police inquiries indicated that the mobile device utilized to publish the footage was purchased in New Delhi and routed through a Union Minister's official residence.

- **Direct trigger:** An unauthorized sting video aimed at damaging a senior political figure was uploaded using a phone procured specifically for the operation. Investigators traced the digital footprint of that device to the national capital and subsequently to an official bungalow.
- **Investigative chain:** Detained content creator Ritesh Pandey confessed that the handset was bought in Karol Bagh following instructions from Prajwal Prasad. Prasad's association with Kumaraswamy's social media setup directly connected the transaction to the ministerial residence on Kushak Road.
- **Political context:** Ongoing political rivalry in Karnataka fueled the fallout, with ruling leaders claiming the release was designed to provoke infighting within the state government. Accusations centered on an alleged plot to create tension between the Chief Minister and Siddaramaiah.
- **Future legal trajectory:** Forensic analysis of the seized telephone and physical examination of the Delhi premises will establish the technical timeline of the operation. Formal findings will depend on the digital data retrieved from the forensic laboratory.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Why is the Bengaluru police planning to search Union Minister Kumaraswamy's Delhi bungalow?
The police intend to search the residence as part of their investigation into the mobile device used to upload an alleged fake sting video targeting Siddaramaiah.

### 2. Who is Prajwal Prasad and what did he claim during questioning?
Prajwal Prasad is linked to Kumaraswamy's social media team. He claimed innocence before investigators, stating he only learned of the issue through social media and does not know Ritesh Pandey.

### 3. Where was the mobile handset used for uploading the video purchased?
According to statements by arrested creator Ritesh Pandey, the phone was purchased jointly with Vinod Sharma from Karol Bagh in New Delhi.

### 4. What specific charges did Karnataka Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi make against Kumaraswamy?
Tangadagi alleged that the sting video was publicized through Kumaraswamy's office and accused him of attempting to create discord between Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.

---
_TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._