At the centre of the alleged sting operation video row in Karnataka involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is Kripa Alva, a Congress spokesperson from Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, who appeared before the Crime Branch for questioning on Sunday.

The police had issued Alva a notice following a complaint filed by Siddaramaiah , who alleged that unidentified individuals had circulated a fabricated video containing malicious allegations against him in an attempt to blackmail and defame him.

The 60-year-old Congress leader was chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights from 2015 to 2018, during Siddaramaiah’s first term as Chief Minister.

Alva entered active politics years after she was widowed in 1992.…