Bengaluru police probe source of alleged Siddaramaiah sting video
Special teams are investigating who provided the video to freelance content creator Ritesh Pandey before it was uploaded to social media.
Bengaluru city police are investigating the source of an alleged sting video involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, according to The Hindu. Special teams are working to identify who handed the footage to Ritesh Pandey, a freelance social media content creator who uploaded it.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said the investigation is examining three instances where the video surfaced, specifically in 2021, 2023, and 2026. A preliminary investigation found that claims the recording was made in 2023 are false.
Police suspect the video was circulated on various social media platforms in September and October this year. Investigators are attempting to establish the complete chain of custody and whether the video was staged, fabricated, or manipulated.
Ritesh Pandey was arrested in Delhi and later granted conditional bail. Police have seized a handset used to upload the video and sent it for technical analysis after inspecting the shop where it was purchased.
The police have questioned several individuals, including Kannada news channel owner and editor Rakesh Shetty, Congress leader Kripa Alva, and the woman who claimed to be the victim in the video clip.