Bengaluru, Nov 2 — Police security has been significantly beefed up in and around the Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s Office amid the possibility of a flash protest by JD(S) workers following the naming of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in connection with the sting operation case linked to former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah.
Two platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and more than 50 police personnel have been deployed at the Commissioner’s Office, police sources said.
JD(S) workers have been expressing outrage over the developments through statements on social media, prompting the police to step up security arrangements. A police bus has also been stationed near the Commissioner’s Office to transport any group that gathers at the spot.
Police personnel have reportedly been instructed to detain anyone attempting to create a disturbance or stage an unlawful protest near the Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s Office.
Meanwhile, the Central Crime Branch (CCB), which is investigating the sting operation case, has intensified its probe into the alleged exchange and movement of a mobile phone connected with the case.
One of the investigating teams has continued collecting technical and documentary evidence, including obtaining the bill related to the mobile phone allegedly used in connection with the case and taking CCTV footage into its custody.
The police have also issued a notice to accused Prajwal Prasad, a media consultant allegedly associated with the JD(S) in New Delhi, asking him to appear before investigators. His statement is expected to be crucial to the investigation and could provide further clarity on the sequence of events surrounding the alleged mobile phone exchange.
Prajwal Prasad is alleged to have taken a mobile phone to the residence of Union Minister Kumaraswamy. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged exchange and are also probing the uploading and circulation of the sting operation video.
According to sources, the police are also considering issuing a notice to Kumaraswamy and may inspect his residence as part of the investigation.
In another major development, a special wing of the CCB conducted raids on a Kannada news channel whose owner had earlier claimed responsibility for carrying out the sting operation linked to Siddaramaiah.
The CCB reportedly obtained a search warrant before launching the operation. More than 30 CCB officials and staff members were deployed for the raids and search operation at the news channel's premises.
The police also conducted searches at the residence of the Kannada news channel owner in Bengaluru’s Sahakaranagar locality.
The raids and heightened security arrangements come as the sting operation case continues to trigger a political confrontation, with the investigation expanding into the alleged handling of electronic devices, the creation and uploading of the video, and the circumstances surrounding the operation.