Karnataka police seek YouTube details in Siddaramaiah sting video row
Bengaluru: Karnataka Police, investigating the sting operation controversy and the uploading of a video related to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have written to YouTube seeking technical details, including the IP address from which the video was uploaded and information about the person who uploaded it, officials said on Saturday.
The Cyber Crime police have launched an investigation into the viral video from multiple angles, including its origin, the identity of those involved in its circulation, and the motive behind the act.
The controversy surrounding the alleged sting operation has triggered a major political storm in Karnataka, with a confrontation emerging between Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Congress government.
Kumaraswamy has launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge over the issue. While Shivakumar has not responded to the Union Minister’s allegations, Kharge has strongly rebutted them, stating that Kumaraswamy could be arrested in connection with the case if the need arose.
Kumaraswamy, in turn, challenged the state government to arrest him and staged a protest at the Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s Office.
Meanwhile, the Cyber Crime police are pursuing the investigation along three lines. First, they have sought information from YouTube regarding the uploading of the video, including the IP address used and other technical details that could help identify those responsible.
Second, the police are examining the authenticity of the video to establish whether it is original or has been manipulated. They are also investigating who created the video and who circulated it widely on social media.
Third, investigators are also probing the motive behind the video’s creation and circulation to determine whether there was an ulterior purpose behind the act.
The outcome of the technical examination and the investigation into the video’s origin is expected to help the police establish the sequence of events and identify those responsible.
Meanwhile, a private Kannada media head has claimed that he has made the sting video and has given all information to the concerned investigating officers.