Bengaluru Police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) hauled Delhi-based Ritesh Pandey into custody on Saturday, marking the first arrest in the high-stakes probe into a viral video alleging a sting operation against former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Police said they seized a second-hand mobile phone linked to Pandey, which they suspect was used to upload the footage. Investigators are currently dissecting the device’s digital trail to map out the network behind the video’s circulation and identify other potential accomplices.
The legal proceedings moved fast. A metropolitan magistrate in Delhi granted Pandey bail, conditional on his full cooperation with the investigation. This development follows Siddaramaiah’s aggressive legal strategy last month, where he secured a court injunction barring media reports on the videos and lodged a formal police complaint. On Friday, the former CM dismissed the footage as a “totally concocted” blackmail attempt.
The political fallout has turned inward. Siddaramaiah’s son, Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, accused members of his own Congress party of orchestrating the smear campaign. He specifically cited a woman seeking a party ticket from Puttur and the head of a media organization as key figures in the alleged conspiracy. These claims have added a layer of internal party friction to the already volatile case.
State Home Minister Priyank Kharge struck an authoritative tone, asserting that the truth will emerge soon. “Whoever is involved... all these aspects will be investigated,” Kharge told reporters, emphasizing that the probe is free from political pressure. He noted that some individuals named in the preliminary inquiry have become untraceable, but police are actively working to locate and question them.