Siddaramaiah sting video case: Delhi man arrested in first breakthrough

Bengaluru

A special team of the Bengaluru City Police has arrested a Delhi-based man in connection with the alleged sting operation involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’ name, marking the first arrest in the case.

The accused, identified as Ritesh Pandey, was picked up from Delhi and brought to Bengaluru for questioning, police sources said.

Investigators are examining Pandey’s alleged links to a second-hand mobile phone suspected to have been used to upload the video. The police are also tracing the digital trail to establish who uploaded the video and how it was subsequently circulated across social media platforms.

The case has attracted widespread attention in Karnataka, with Siddaramaiah speaking publicly about the alleged sting operation. His son has also commented on the controversy, naming two individuals, including a woman, as the alleged prime accused in the conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Priyank Kharge said on Saturday that the police had issued notices to several people suspected of being involved in uploading or sharing the video. Some of them have reportedly become untraceable, prompting investigators to make efforts to locate and question them.

Police sources said investigators had gathered several leads, including details of the links through which the video was circulated on Facebook and other social media platforms. The police are examining these leads to establish the sequence of events and identify the individuals involved in the video’s circulation.

Further questioning of the suspects is expected to help investigators establish the respective roles of those involved in recording, uploading and sharing the video.