Siddaramaiah video row: CCB detains two for questioning

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) cybercrime police have detained two persons for questioning in connection with allegedly defamatory videos targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that were circulated on social media.

The two suspects were picked up as part of the investigation into the alleged creation and circulation of the videos and are being questioned to ascertain their source.

Mr. Siddaramaiah had lodged a complaint with Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, alleging that fake and malicious videos were being circulated on social media to tarnish his reputation. He had also submitted details, including the IDs of social media accounts allegedly involved in spreading the content.

The Police Commissioner referred the complaint to the CCB Cyber Crime Police Station, where a case was registered. Investigators are now attempting to identify those who created the videos, trace the accounts that circulated them, and ascertain whether others were involved in a coordinated effort.

The police are examining the digital trail, including the IP addresses linked to prominent social media accounts that shared the videos, to identify those operating them and determine the origin of the content.

On Tuesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah secured an injunction restraining media organisations, including social media platforms, from circulating the allegedly defamatory videos. He had also sought police action against those responsible for what he described as false propaganda.