Power TV sting row: Whistleblower flags Uday Muniyal’s Congress ticket

Bengaluru

The investigation into the alleged sting videos linked to Power TV Managing Director Rakesh Shetty should also examine how Congress leader Uday Kumar Muniyal secured the party’s ticket to contest the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections from the Karkala constituency, according to a whistleblower who has been speaking to blrpost.com.

Muniyal contested against BJP leader Sunil Kumar in the 2023 Assembly elections but was defeated. The whistleblower has alleged that the circumstances surrounding Muniyal’s selection as the Congress candidate warrant scrutiny, claiming that certain sting videos were allegedly used to secure political benefits ahead of the elections.

The whistleblower told blrpost.com that Muniyal has close links with Shetty and was present when former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the Power TV MD’s residence. The whistleblower alleged that a possible blackmail angle needed to be investigated and called for the police to examine the alleged connections between the individuals involved.

“The investigation should not be restricted to the sting video mentioning Siddaramaiah’s name. The police must also examine whether the videos were used to obtain political favours, including party tickets,” the whistleblower said.

A team that includes cybercrime police personnel has begun investigating the sting videos that mention Siddaramaiah’s name. The investigation was initiated after Siddaramaiah lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner. The former Chief Minister has also secured an ad-interim ex parte temporary injunction from a Bengaluru civil court in connection with the matter.

The whistleblower alleged that the videos were filmed on the instructions of Shetty and claimed that some of the recordings were allegedly used ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections to secure political benefits. According to the whistleblower, Muniyal was among those who may have benefited from the alleged use of such material.

The whistleblower urged investigators to question Muniyal as part of a wider inquiry into the alleged activities, arguing that the investigation should not focus merely on relatively low-profile YouTubers while potentially overlooking individuals who could provide information about the alleged political links.

Muniyal and Shetty are both from Karkala and, according to the whistleblower, share close associations. The whistleblower further claimed that several Congress workers were surprised when Muniyal was selected as the party’s candidate for the constituency in 2023.

The allegations raise questions that the whistleblower wants investigators to examine, particularly whether the candidate-selection process was influenced by any alleged use of sting videos or other forms of pressure. The whistleblower claimed that the ticket was secured through unfair practices and called for a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the selection.

However, the allegations concerning Muniyal’s ticket and the alleged use of sting videos remain claims made by the whistleblower. Establishing whether any such material was used to influence the party’s decision would require independent verification and evidence gathered during the investigation.

The whistleblower described the alleged episode as one of Karnataka’s biggest media-related scam, claiming that media platforms and sting operations were misused by Shetty to allegedly extort individuals and obtain benefits.

The whistleblower said the investigation should examine the entire alleged chain of events, including the making of the videos, their intended use and any possible political or financial benefits arising from them. According to the whistleblower, a broader inquiry could reveal whether the alleged activities extended beyond the video that mentions Siddaramaiah.

The police investigation into the videos is now an important part of establishing the facts surrounding the allegations. Whether the alleged recordings were used to exert pressure, secure political favours or obtain other benefits remains a matter for investigators to establish through evidence.