Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has alleged that an attempt was made to conduct a sting operation on him and Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan using Meta smart glasses. He claimed that the alleged attempt targeted Congress leaders, while similar devices were reportedly not worn during meetings with several BJP and NDA leaders.
In an interview with Kannada broadcaster Asianet Suvarna News, Shivakumar said an industrialist who visited him wearing Meta smart glasses raised his suspicions. He subsequently asked officials to conduct a background check on the visitor and examine his movements and meetings with other political leaders.
According to Shivakumar, the incident appeared to be part of a wider effort to target Congress leaders through alleged sting operations. However, he did not identify the industrialist or publicly disclose verifiable evidence that a recording attempt had taken place.
Meta Smart Glasses Raised Suspicion
Recounting the incident, Shivakumar said the industrialist had obtained an appointment through officials and initially discussed business matters. The conversation later shifted towards politics, including booth-level strategies and political developments, prompting further suspicion.
Shivakumar claimed that the information gathered by his officials indicated that the visitor had worn the same Meta smart glasses during meetings with him and Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, but not during meetings with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a Union minister.
He maintained that the authorities had taken precautionary measures but were not revealing details of the alleged incident at this stage.
The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister also said he had warned Cabinet colleagues to remain vigilant against possible attempts to entrap political leaders through personal assistants, telephone calls and meetings.
Karnataka’s Sting Operation Controversy Intensifies
Shivakumar’s allegations come amid a broader political controversy in Karnataka over purported sting-operation videos linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The controversy has triggered accusations between the Congress and opposition parties over the origin of the videos and their alleged political purpose. Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy has accused Shivakumar of orchestrating an operation against Siddaramaiah, a charge Shivakumar has denied.
Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Ganiga has also alleged that a Union minister and a Karnataka BJP leader financed a private agency to target several ministers and the Chief Minister’s Office. These allegations remain contested.
Siddaramaiah has approached a Bengaluru court seeking to restrain the circulation of the disputed videos. According to the supplied report, the court granted an interim injunction on October 14 against the circulation of two videos linked to the controversy.
Shivakumar Says He Has Kept Records
Shivakumar said he had collected information about individuals who might be involved in the alleged attempts but was not ready to disclose their identities or supporting documents.
He also indicated that records had been maintained and that further details could be revealed at a later stage.
The allegations have added another dimension to Karnataka’s ongoing political dispute over purported sting operations. However, the claims involving Meta smart glasses have not been independently established through publicly disclosed evidence, and the identities of those allegedly responsible remain unknown.