Bengaluru, Oct 14 The CCB of Bengaluru police has detained two people for questioning in connection with an alleged defamatory social media post targeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah, police sources said on Wednesday.
Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy alleged that JD(S) social media team member Shankar has been picked up while another team member, Mohan and his family are being harassed. He said these actions will not intimidate him as the Congress leaders need to answer his questions.
Siddaramaiah had on Tuesday secured an injunction order restraining media outlets, including social media platforms, from spreading the defamatory videos against him.
The Congress leader had also lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru city police seeking action against those spreading ‘false propaganda’.
Based on a complaint by the former CM, a case was registered at a Cyber Crime Police Station.
In this regard, two people were picked up and taken to an unknown destination for interrogation.
Their names have not been revealed as the investigation was underway, sources said.
The issue was much talked about in the political circle as BJP leader R Ashoka and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy termed it a ‘sting operation’ against Siddaramaiah.
Congress MLA K N Rajanna has not ruled out the possibility of a sting operation against the former CM. Kumaraswamy demanded a CBI probe into the sting operation.
“I will not be intimidated for questioning a suspected honey-trap conspiracy involving senior Congress leaders. Instead of answering serious questions, the government appears to be targeting the young members of our @JanataDal_S social media team,” Kumaraswamy said in a post on ‘X’.
According to him, Shankar, who works with the JD(S) social media team, was taken away by the police without any case being registered against him.
He added that he has also received reports that another team member, Mohan, and his family are being harassed.
“Why are these young people being targeted, and under what authority? The person alleged to have carried out the sting operation and recorded footage intended to malign former CM Siddaramaiah has not faced the same scrutiny, while those questioning the episode are being pursued,” the Union Minister said.
He said the questions he had raised must be answered through a fair and impartial inquiry, not by putting pressure on the JD(S) workers and their families.
“If the government has the courage to respond, let them respond to the questions posed by me. We will challenge any unjustified harassment through legal and political means,” Kumaraswamy said in his post.
(PTI News)
