Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar made an explosive claim amid the ongoing sting operation row involving former CM Siddaramaiah. DKS alleged that an industrialist wearing Meta smart glasses attempted to secretly record him and Kerala Congress CM VD Satheesan.
The sting operation controversy has emerged as one of the biggest political challenges DK Shivakumar has faced since taking office as Karnataka Chief Minister in June. (Image: India Today Group)
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar alleged a sting operation was attempted on him and Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, both Congress leaders, and not on Bharatiya Janata Party or its NDA allied chief ministers. The claims made in an interview with a Kannada broadcaster added a fresh twist to the political storm over sting operations in Karnataka.
DK Shivakumar (DKS) claimed that an industrialist who came to meet him wore Meta smart glasses that raised his suspicions, prompting him to seek information about the visitor's movements and meetings with other political leaders.
In an interview with Kannada broadcaster Asianet Suvarna News, the Karnataka CM alleged that the episode was part of preparations for a wider sting operation targeting him and other Congress leaders.
DKS made these allegations amid an escalating row over purported sting-operation videos linked to former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, with the Congress and opposition parties trading allegations over who was behind these, and its political purpose.
Asked why no action had been taken against those who allegedly tried to trap him, DKS said the authorities had taken precautions but were not disclosing the details.
"Who said action wasn't sought? You just don't know, that's all. We are not disclosing it, that's all. We have taken all precautionary measures," the Karnataka CM said in an interview with Asianet Suvarna News.
META GLASSES RAISED SUSPICIONS OF STING OP ATTEMPT: DK SHIVAKUMAR
Recounting the alleged attempt, DKS said an industrialist had secured an appointment through officials and initially discussed business with him. The visitor, however, subsequently shifted the conversation towards politics, speaking about booth-level strategies and political developments.
DKS said the change in conversation, along with the glasses the visitor wore, made him suspicious. "I asked my officials to conduct a small enquiry on the background of the industrialist," DKS said.
According to the Karnataka CM, the information he received suggested that the visitor had worn the same Meta glasses during a meeting with Kerala CM VD Satheesan, but not while meeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a Union minister.
"He wore the Meta glasses only when he came to me and [VD] Satheesan," DKS claimed.
He did not identify the visitor or provide verifiable evidence of the alleged recording attempt during the interview.
DKS said he had received information about people who could be involved and had warned his Cabinet colleagues to be careful about attempts to entrap them through personal assistants, phone calls and other means.
"As the head of the government, which is like a family, I have to tell the Cabinet ministers to be conscious and not get fooled," he said.
Asked whether he was waiting for the right time to reveal names and documents, the Karnataka CM said he had maintained records but would not disclose them immediately.
"I have called them all and kept records. Not now. When the time comes, I will say what has to be said," he said. "This is not the time to speak," he added.
SIDDARAMAIAH STING VIDEO ROW ADDS TO POLITICAL TENSION
The allegations by DKS come as Karnataka remains embroiled in a controversy over purported sting-operation videos linked to Siddaramaiah. The dispute has triggered accusations of a conspiracy to damage the former Chief Minister's reputation. Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief, HD Kumaraswamy, alleged that the clips from 2011 were used to force Siddaramaiah out of office.
The controversy escalated after DKS warned ministers at a Cabinet meeting on October 8 about possible attempts to trap them through sting operations. Congress MLA from the state, Ravi Kumar Ganiga, claimed that a Union minister and a Karnataka BJP leader had financed a private agency to target around 10 ministers and the Chief Minister's Office. He displayed a pen drive that he said contained evidence.
Kumaraswamy, who is a key regional ally of the BJP-led Centre from Karnataka, accused DKS of orchestrating the alleged operation against Siddaramaiah. The Karnataka CM has denied orchestrating a sting to remove his predecessor, while the Congress has rejected the opposition's allegations.
Siddaramaiah approached a Bengaluru court seeking to restrain the circulation of the disputed videos and also sought a police investigation. On October 14, a court granted an interim injunction restraining media organisations and digital platforms from circulating two videos linked to the controversy.
The police investigation into the creation and circulation of the videos is continuing. The Cabinet discussed the matter but did not order a separate Special Investigation Team (SIT), leaving the government to decide on further action based on the ongoing investigation.
WHO IS BEHIND THE ALLEGED STING OPERATIONS IN KARNATAKA?
The explosive claims of the Karnataka CM raise further questions about the alleged targeting of political leaders, but does not settle the central issues in Karnataka's wider sting-operation row.
DKS said that he knew who was behind the attempt against him and has records to support his claims. He has, however, withheld the names of those allegedly involved and the evidence he said he possessed.
The opposition led by the BJP, meanwhile, has demanded a more transparent investigation into the disputed videos linked to Siddaramaiah and questioned the government's handling of the case. JD(S) chief Kumaraswamy has sought an independent probe, while the Congress has maintained that the allegations against DKS are politically motivated.
Neither the alleged attempt involving Meta glasses nor the broader claims of a coordinated sting operation have been conclusively established through publicly disclosed evidence. The question of who commissioned the operations, whom they targeted and whether they were intended to influence Karnataka's political leadership remains unresolved.
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