Accusing Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh of deliberately leaking confidential data linked to the sting operation, the Union Minister alleged that the mobile phone claim was part of a larger political vendetta against him.

Accusing Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh of deliberately leaking confidential data linked to the sting operation, the Union Minister alleged that the mobile phone claim was part of a larger political vendetta against him.

Accusing Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh of deliberately leaking confidential data linked to the sting operation, the Union Minister alleged that the mobile phone claim was part of a larger political vendetta against him.

Union minister for heavy industries and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday lashed out at Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh's allegations that the phone used in the sting operation on ex-Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah had reached his residence.

Accusing Singh of deliberately leaking confidential data linked to the sting operation, he alleged that the mobile phone claim was part of a larger political vendetta waged against him by the D.K. Shivakumar-led Congress government in the state.

The case relates to the release of two videos with allegations against Siddaramaiah surfacing on YouTube in September.

"I will put all these details before you tomorrow. This government, the CM and the officials of this government—nobody can touch this Kumaraswamy ... Tomorrow, I will give you complete details about how the investigation is being conducted ... and whom the government is trying to protect," he declared to reporters at the HMT playground in Jalahalli.

He also questioned if Singh were a police commissioner or head clerk, arguing that the allegations made against him were part of the latter's efforts to retain his job, as per local media reports.

Kumaraswamy also reacted to Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge's 'trailer' jibe, warning that he had "started making a new film", that he would talk about on Monday.

The Union minister's comments came after Singh revealed that the mobile phone allegedly used by the first accused in the sting case, Prajwal Prasad, had been purchased from a shop in Delhi's Karol Bagh.

Prasad had also allegedly instructed the other accused—Ritesh Pandey and Vinod Sharma—to buy the phone and deliver it to him at Kumaraswamy's official residence, Singh added.

Investigators have already found technical evidence—including details of the phone's purchase and delivery location—that support Singh's claim, and are now verifying possible evidence of financial transactions between Pandey and Prasad.

It was when this evidence was found that Kharge made his "trailer" comment at a press conference earlier on Sunday, arguing that it proved the Union Minister was "indulging in such dirty politics and activities to malign senior leaders like Mr. Siddaramaiah, CM D.K. Shivakumar, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and our party".

“We remained silent to protect the confidentiality of the investigation and ensure that the dignity of Mr. Siddaramaiah, the party and the CM was not compromised," he added at the event.

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