Now Reading: CCB raids Power TV MD’s home, office in Siddaramaiah sting case
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CCB raids Power TV MD’s home, office in Siddaramaiah sting case
The Story in Brief
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru police on Monday, 2 November searched the residence and office of Power TV managing director Rakesh Shetty, a key accused in the case of an allegedly fabricated sting video targeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah. Multiple teams carried out the searches after obtaining a court warrant. Shetty and expelled Congress leader Kripa Alva are accused of creating and distributing the video. Both had been questioned earlier.
The searches follow a CCB disclosure on Sunday, 1 November that the mobile phone used to upload the video had changed hands at the official residence of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy in New Delhi. Police have issued a notice to Prajwal Prasad, who works with the Janata Dal (Secular) IT cell, to appear for questioning. The CCB is trying to establish the phone’s chain of custody. Kumaraswamy had earlier alleged the sting was orchestrated by D K Shivakumar, a charge Shivakumar denies.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge said on Sunday the police have ‘irrefutable technical evidence’ linking more than three people to the video’s uploading and claimed all of them are connected to Kumaraswamy. He said they have been served notices but have applied for anticipatory bail. The investigation will determine if Kumaraswamy himself is questioned.
Update, 2 November 2026: The Federal adds that Ritesh Pandey, an accused, told investigators the mobile phone was bought in Delhi’s Karol Bagh and handed to Kumaraswamy’s social media manager at his official residence. The South First adds Home Minister Priyank Kharge’s statement that police have irrefutable technical evidence against more than three people linked to Kumaraswamy, who have applied for anticipatory bail.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Deccan Herald and The Hindu report the raids and the phone-transfer disclosure in straight, neutral copy. The Federal foregrounds the political discomfort the revelation causes Kumaraswamy, noting his earlier allegation that D K Shivakumar orchestrated the sting, and reports that the phone was handed to an aide at Kumaraswamy’s Delhi residence, a claim the other two leave in the CCB’s own words. The South First leads with Home Minister Priyank Kharge’s assertion of ‘irrefutable technical evidence’ and his demand that Kumaraswamy send his people for questioning, a framing the other outlets omit. The balanced reading: the factual core, raids, phone handover at Kumaraswamy’s residence, is uniform, but The Federal and The South First push the political implications and the government’s offensive posture more explicitly. Investigation will decide whether Kumaraswamy himself is called for questioning.
Coverage: 4 sources, 1 pro-government, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Sources (4): deccanherald.com (neutral report), thehindu.com (neutral report), thefederal.com (sensationalist), thesouthfirst.com (pro government)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
