High-Level Allegations of Political Espionage

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has made startling allegations regarding an attempted covert sting operation targeting opposition leaders. According to Shivakumar, an unidentified industrialist used Meta smart glasses to record a meeting under the guise of discussing business matters.

The senior Congress leader revealed that the visitor initially engaged in formal economic discussions before steering the conversation toward sensitive political developments and booth-level strategies. The abrupt shift in dialogue, combined with the tech-enabled eyewear, prompted immediate suspicion from the Deputy Chief Minister.

Targeted Surveillance Claims

In an interview with regional media, Shivakumar stated that preliminary intelligence gathered by officials indicated the same industrialist wore the recording glasses during a separate meeting with Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan. However, the visitor reportedly did not wear the device while interacting with political leaders belonging to the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

While the Deputy Chief Minister did not publicly name the industrialist or release verifiable physical evidence, he asserted that state authorities have taken necessary precautionary measures to counter potential security breaches.

Warnings Issued to Cabinet Colleagues

In response to the incident, Shivakumar confirmed that he has formally cautioned members of his cabinet and close aides to remain vigilant against potential entrapment strategies, whether through personal assistants, unsolicited phone calls, or covert recording devices.

The allegations surface amidst an already charged political climate in Karnataka, marked by intense opposition disputes regarding purported sting videos involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has strongly dismissed the allegations as completely false.