Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has urged cabinet colleagues to be cautious amid reports that private agencies may be secretly recording ministers’ conversations and movements. The claims have not been independently verified.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and minister H.C. Balakrishna confirmed that Shivakumar raised the issue at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Parameshwara told reporters that Shivakumar, who also oversees the state’s intelligence portfolio, had acted on information he received.
The Hindu reported that Shivakumar showed ministers a file listing people who were allegedly being targeted. They were also advised to be wary of private meetings with strangers and requests to pose for photographs. The file’s authenticity and the alleged operations have not been independently established.
Balakrishna linked the issue to recent political campaigns by Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy against the Congress government. The minister accused Kumaraswamy of trying to weaken Shivakumar’s political standing. The report presents Kumaraswamy as the subject of Balakrishna’s accusation, not as a participant in the alleged operations.
The warning comes as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of Karnataka’s 2028 Assembly election. Shivakumar has previously said Congress legislators and ministers could face scrutiny by investigative agencies after searches involving relatives of Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi.
Political disputes in Karnataka have repeatedly involved recordings and purportedly compromising material. The Hindu recalls episodes involving audio tapes, CDs and pen drives, which have at times prompted accusations and calls for investigations.