Karnataka’s sting operation politics: threat of a video is half the battle

Chief minister DK Shivakumar claimed he was targeted in an attempted honeytrap after becoming CM, and that he has evidence of those behind it Bengaluru: Sting operations, audio tapes, CDs, pen drives and honey trap allegations have become a recurring feature of Karnataka politics, turning private conversations and personal encounters into political weapons. What began as audio recordings and attempted media stings has evolved into an ecosystem where compromising videos and claims of entrapment can trigger resignations, police probes, assembly disruptions and bitter battles between camps.The latest row, involving chief minister DK Shivakumar and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, is the newest chapter. Shivakumar claimed Thursday that he was targeted in an attempted honey trap after becoming CM, and said he had evidence of those behind it. A day earlier, Kumaraswamy had accused him of forcing Siddaramaiah out of the CM post via a sting operation. Neither claim has been substantiated.For years, the threat of a recording has carried political value irrespective of whether the material withstands investigation. A video can force a politician to defend his conduct before its authenticity is settled, and a claim of being targeted can itself become a counter ploy.Shivakumar occupies an unusual place in this history. He has been both a subject of such allegations and, repeatedly, named by rivals as organiser or beneficiary of stings. He has vehemently denied these accusations. The earliest episode came in 2014, when as energy minister he alleged two journalists posing as representatives of a solar firm offered him Rs 5 lakh in an attempted sting. Police arrested them and seized the cash.The 2021 Ramesh Jarkiholi incident took the phenomenon to another level. A video allegedly involving the then BJP minister surfaced in March, triggering a sex-for-job allegation. Jarkiholi resigned and claimed a conspiracy. An SIT probed both the assault allegation and the counter-allegation of extortion, and in Feb 2022 filed a B-report citing insufficient evidence. By then, the damage was done. The video had spread across television and digital platforms long before investigators could establish how it was recorded. Rivals alleged Shivakumar’s role, which he rejected.In 2024, the Prajwal Revanna scandal showed how secret recordings and mass digital circulation could overwhelm conventional politics. Hundreds of explicit videos allegedly involving the then Hassan MP surfaced around the Lok Sabha polls, with thousands of pen drives reportedly circulated. The state govt set up an SIT. The fight soon moved beyond the allegations against Prajwal. Kumaraswamy alleged a conspiracy involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who denied it and accused Kumaraswamy of a role in circulating the material. BJP’s G Devaraje Gowda separately blamed Shivakumar, which he also rejected. An alleged May 2024 audio of Devaraje Gowda and former MP LR Shivarame Gowda was cited by opponents as evidence of a larger conspiracy. Its authenticity became part of the contest.Last year, cooperation minister KN Rajanna said 48 MLAs across parties had allegedly been trapped. BJP MLA Munirathna alleged Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh were behind a network targeting legislators, linking it to the Jarkiholi case and to HD Revanna and Suraj Revanna. Shivakumar rejected this. Honey-trapping was no longer being described as a tactic against one politician but as a network spanning parties.Experts say while technology has changed, the political objective hasn’t. “A tape, video or even an allegation that such material exists can damage reputations before its authenticity is established,” said Vishwas Shetty, political commentator.MN Patil, another expert, said recordings could acquire a political life independent of the eventual investigation. “With social media shrinking the gap between recording, circulation and political fallout, Karnataka’s recurring sting controversies underline a new reality: verification often arrives after the political damage is done,” he said.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in BengaluruStay updated with the latest Bengaluru news. Download the TOI App.