In March 2025, Karnataka was embroiled in a political controversy surrounding allegations of a “honey trap” operation . Here’s a breakdown of the situation:
- Allegations Made: Cooperation Minister K. N. Rajanna alleged on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly that there had been attempts to honey-trap him . He claimed that about 48 people, including legislators and central leaders, had fallen victim to honey traps, with obscene videos being circulated .
- Government Response: The Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, promised a high-level probe into the allegations .
- CID Inquiry: The enquiry into the alleged attempts to ‘honey-trap’ Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna was handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) . Since Mr. Rajanna had not filed an official complaint with the police, there was no FIR in the case, and the CID was only conducting an enquiry and was expected to submit a report to the State government .
- Son’s Claims: Rajendra Rajanna, son of K.N. Rajanna, said that honey-trap attempts had been made on both him and his father . He stated that the attempts on him were restricted to mobile phone calls, video calls, and text messages .
- Complaint Filed: Rajanna petitioned the Home Minister, seeking an enquiry into alleged attempts to “honey-trap” him .
- Political Fallout: The issue caused a ruckus in the Assembly, leading to the suspension of 18 BJP MLAs for six months .
- Demand for Investigation: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court, seeking an independent probe by the CBI or SIT into the alleged honey trapping of legislators, public servants, and judges in Karnataka . The Supreme Court, however, dismissed a plea for a CBI probe into the alleged “honey-trap” attempt .
- Other Developments: Rajendra Rajanna also alleged a conspiracy to murder him . He claimed that there was an attempt on his life and that he had informed the police .
Specific allegations are involved in the Karnataka honey trap issue:
The specific allegations in the Karnataka honey trap issue involve claims that individuals, including ministers, legislators, public servants, and even judges, were targeted in a scheme where they were lured into compromising situations, typically involving sexual activity, which was then recorded . The recordings were allegedly used for blackmail or extortion .
Here’s a breakdown of the specific allegations:
- Compromising Situations: Individuals were allegedly lured into situations that could be recorded, often involving sexual activity, without their knowledge or consent .
- Blackmail and Extortion: The recordings obtained in these compromising situations were allegedly used to blackmail or extort the targeted individuals . The aim was to force them to comply with certain demands or to gain some advantage .
- Victims: Cooperation Minister K. N. Rajanna claimed that he and 48 others, including legislators, central leaders, and judges, were victims of honey traps .
- Circulation of Obscene Videos: It was alleged that obscene videos of those who were honey-trapped were being circulated .
- Targeting of High-Profile Individuals: BJP MP Jagadish Shettar claimed that the scandal involved high-profile figures, including ministers and influential people . He suggested that a thorough probe could expose these individuals, which is why there was an effort to suppress the case .
- Threat to Judicial Independence: A petition filed in the Supreme Court raised concerns that judges were also among those targeted, which posed a serious threat to judicial independence and undermined public confidence in the institution .
- Conspiracy and Cover-Up: Allegations were made that the state government was attempting to suppress the issue to prevent a political crisis .
