Sting operation: Businessman wearing Meta AI glasses tried to spy on me, claims D K Shivakumar

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Oct 24, 2026: Amid the ongoing controversy over an alleged ‘sting operation’, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has claimed that a businessman wearing Meta AI glasses recently met him, raising his suspicions of an attempt to spy on him.

Shivakumar made the claim during an interview with a Kannada news channel.

“God has given me one strength: I can read faces. Based on my experience, I can tell why someone has come to meet me. Thousands of people meet me every day, and I can read their faces,” he said.

Recalling the meeting, Shivakumar said a businessman had sought an appointment through officials to discuss business matters.

“The businessman took me to the ante-chamber and opened his laptop. Instead of talking about his company or business, he started discussing politics and psephology. He began explaining what could be done at different polling booths, like a psephologist,” Shivakumar said.

He added that the conversation made him suspicious, prompting him to order an inquiry into the businessman and his background.

Without revealing the businessman’s identity, Shivakumar said he had noticed the man wearing Meta smart glasses during meetings with him and Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan.

“However, he was not wearing glasses when he met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu or a Union minister in Maharashtra,” he claimed.

Shivakumar also said he had credible information about attempts to conduct a ‘sting operation’ targeting his Cabinet colleagues.

“At a Cabinet meeting, I advised my ministers to be cautious. I did so as the head of the family and asked them not to fall into traps. What is wrong with that? I have all the documents,” he said.