2 min readBengaluruOct 24, 2026 10:40 PM ISTInvestigators said the video was handed over to Ritesh Pandey on a pen drive before being transferred to a mobile phone for uploading. (Express photo enhanced using AI)The Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Bengaluru arrested a Delhi-based man on Saturday in connection with the alleged sting operation targeting former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. The accused was subsequently produced before a magistrate and released on conditional bail, a CCB officer confirmed.The accused, identified as Ritesh Pandey, was apprehended in Delhi and brought to Bengaluru for questioning. According to the police, he allegedly uploaded the video linked to the purported sting operation and told investigators that a person associated with the social media team of the Janata Dal (Secular) had instructed him to upload it.Investigators said the video was handed over to Pandey on a pen drive before being transferred to a mobile phone for uploading. The CCB seized the phone allegedly used to upload the footage and sent it for forensic examination. Investigators also found that Pandey had allegedly procured a second-hand smartphone in Delhi specifically to upload the video.The police are examining the digital trail to establish how the footage was uploaded and circulated on social media and to identify others involved in the case.Must Read | Congress insiders behind ‘sting op’ on Siddaramaiah, says his minister son YathindraPandey was produced before a local court in Bengaluru on Saturday afternoon and was granted bail with conditions, including cooperating with the investigation, according to the CCB officer.The case was registered following a complaint by Siddaramaiah on October 6 over the circulation of the purported sting operation video. The former chief minister has alleged that the video was fabricated and circulated with the intention of blackmailing him and damaging his reputation. An investigation is ongoing.