‘Sting operation against Siddaramaiah’: Karnataka Congress expels ex-gen secy Kripa Alva for 6 yrs

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has ousted its former general secretary Kripa Alva from the primary membership of the party for a period of six years with immediate effect. The action follows her alleged connection to a sting operation aimed at senior Congress leaders in the state.

An official expulsion order issued by KPCC vice-president M Narayanaswamy highlighted that the incident had brought major disrepute to the organisation through adverse press coverage and public backlash.

“As your name has figured in this sting operation case and your conduct in the matter amounts to anti-party activities, on the instructions of the Hon'ble KPCC president, you are hereby expelled from the party for a period of six years with immediate effect,” the order stated.

The party noted that a show-cause notice was previously served to Alva requesting clarification on her involvement in the affair, but she failed to furnish any explanation or reply.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had directly identified Alva as the figure behind the ‘defamatory video’. He subsequently secured a court injunction prohibiting media outlets from broadcasting or printing the footage.

Following an inquiry into the alleged sting operation and its defamatory claims against Siddaramaiah, the Bengaluru police confirmed on Thursday that the sexual abuse allegations formed part of a “fabricated and deliberately constructed narrative”.

Investigating officers verified that the statements and evidence gathered throughout the probe failed to substantiate the occurrence of any such incident depicted in the video recording.

PTI