BENGALURU: A sessions court restrained on Tuesday 42 media organisations, digital platforms and other entities from circulating two videos allegedly linking Congress Working Committee member and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah to a purported honey-trap controversy.The court issued the interim injunction on Siddaramaiah’s plea, ordering social media and various digital platforms to disable and block the two video URLs immediately.The recordings feature a woman who alleges that she was sexually exploited around 2011 and identifies the ex-CM as the alleged perpetrator. The videos surfaced last month.In her order, additional city civil and sessions judge B Pushpanjali held that circulation of the videos “will definitely cause immense damage to the dignity, status, position and reputation of the plaintiff” that can’t be compensated for.The first video, titled “Karnataka honey trap nexus part 1”, was posted on Sept 27, while the second was an hour-long programme streamed by a Kannada YouTube channel on Oct 2 under the title “Biggest CD blast in Karnataka politics?”As of Oct 4, the suit points out, the videos had drawn about 3.24 lakh views. “The manner of questioning, the hidden-camera presentation and the politically loaded caption, followed by sudden digital publication, disclose a calculated and malicious design to cause maximum injury to reputation and political standing,” it alleges.Siddaramaiah, who said he initially complained about the videos to the Bengaluru police chief and sought a probe, urged the media and public not to circulate what he termed “false” information. “I am confident truth will prevail,” he said, maintaining he never obstructed the press but certain outlets misused that freedom.In Mysuru, his son and minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah dismissed the videos as fake and meant to tarnish his father’s image. “The political situation today has deteriorated to such a low level that even a senior leader like Siddaramaiah has to face such false allegations,” Yathindra said.Union minister HD Kumaraswamy sought a CBI probe into the controversy and other allegations involving state politicians. Leader of the opposition R Ashoka said Congress had betrayed Siddaramaiah, forcing him to seek judicial relief. He demanded an FIR into the alleged “sting operation”.
