Bengaluru traffic movement around Town Hall was affected on Saturday after hundreds of Janata Dal (Secular) workers, led by Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, marched towards the Director General of Police’s office seeking an impartial Special Investigation Team probe into a controversial video involving former chief minister Siddaramaiah.
The protesters began at the JD(S) headquarters, JP Bhavan, and proceeded towards the police headquarters to submit a complaint to Director General and Inspector General of Police M A Saleem. Police barricades and additional security deployment were placed around Town Hall as the procession moved through the area.
The complaint seeks action against those allegedly involved in recording, editing and circulating the video. It names Rakesh Shetty, described in the petition as the owner and anchor of Power TV, and calls for an investigation into what the party described as a possible political conspiracy behind the footage. The allegations have not been independently established.
According to the report, the purported sting video was filmed in 2023 and was recently broadcast by some local television channels. It relates to incidents from 2011, when Siddaramaiah was the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly during the tenure of the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government.
The JD(S) has alleged that the video was edited and used to target political leaders, and has sought forensic examination of the original recording, voice-sample analysis and verification of the footage’s source and authenticity. The party’s representation also asks investigators to identify those involved in recording, editing and circulating the material and to consider action under applicable provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The complaint further alleges that the footage was concealed and used for publicity, political purposes and blackmail rather than being reported to the police or another legal authority. It also claims that a woman connected to the video was allegedly persuaded to speak to the media with promises of financial assistance. These claims remain allegations made by the party.
The march followed a sit-in staged by Kumaraswamy outside the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner’s office on Thursday. After meeting Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, he accused the police of targeting JD(S) workers, including members of the party’s social media team, over the circulation of videos linked to Siddaramaiah.
Kumaraswamy alleged that police personnel took one party social media team member to an unidentified shed or godown for questioning on Tuesday and later questioned another person. He claimed that investigators were attempting to obtain information that could be used to implicate political opponents. The police have not been reported as confirming these allegations.
Bengaluru police have questioned more than five people in connection with the controversy, including Shetty, who was questioned on Tuesday, as well as some JD(S) workers. The party has warned that it will launch a statewide agitation if its complaint does not lead to action.
The requested investigation would determine the authenticity and provenance of the video, whether it was edited or manipulated, and who was responsible for its recording and circulation. The next steps depend on the police response to the complaint submitted to the DGP’s office.
