Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Prisons DIG M Somashekar has been arrested over his alleged role in forging a Supreme Court order to secure the release of a life-term convict in 2018 when he was the chief superintendent of Bengaluru central jail.
According to a Bengaluru police statement issued Monday Somashekar, currently serving as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Prisons & Correctional Services (North Range), allegedly helped secure the release of A Shankar about eight years ago.
“On 20/05/2026, the Superintendent (In-charge) of Bengaluru Central Prison lodged a complaint at Parappana Agrahara Police Station stating that a convict prisoner, Shankar A., had been released on 13/11/2018 by forging a purported order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” according to the statement.
A case was registered at Parappana Agrahara Police Station. Police said the alleged illegalities were unearthed during the investigation.
Shankar was sentenced to life imprisonment and a Rs 10,000 fine by a fast track court on 12 July 2004 in a case registered at Bengaluru’s Chickpet Police Station. According to the case file, Shankar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Fast Track Court-I in Bengaluru under section 364A of the IPC (kidnapping for ransom), along with charges under section 120 B (criminal conspiracy).
Efforts are also underway to trace and secure the convict, who has remained outside prison since 2018.
“Although the accused had filed appeals before the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka and the Hon’ble Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the sentence, the sentence imposed by the trial court was upheld by the Hon’ble Courts,” according to the Bengaluru police statement.
It was revealed during the probe that a staffer at the time, Srikant S —who was working as Second Division Assistant (and currently First Division Assistant) in the Convict Prisoner Section of the Central Prison—allegedly forged a copy of an order purportedly issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the criminal appeal of convict prisoner Shankar A.
The forged document showed an SC order for Shankar’s release passed on 13 November 2018.
“Based on the forged order, Shankar A. was released from the Central Prison on 13/11/2018. During the investigation, the wife of the convict prisoner was also examined. She stated that the then Chief Superintendent had also assisted in securing the release of her husband from the Central Prison,” according to the statement.
During the probe, it was also noted that the then Chief Superintendent of the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services, “failed to cooperate with the investigation” during the course of the case and had concealed information relating to it.
Somashekar was taken into custody on Sunday, produced before the courts, and taken into police custody for interrogation for further investigation which is underway.
The statement says one more person was arrested alongside the DIG, but does not name him. It also does not detail what was his motivation behind the DIG allegedly helping secure Shankar’s release.
Such irregularities have been reported from Bengaluru’s central jail previously as well, with multiple incidents coming to light in recent months. There have also been allegations that some police personnel have been facilitating such privileges for inmates in exchange for hefty sums of money.
Weeks ago, it was discovered that rape accused and former Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna was allegedly freely using a smart phone which had pornographic videos, OTT material. He also made several calls to his MLA father, H.D.Revanna.
There have been other cases of irregularities as well, including allegations of preferential treatment to murder accused Kannada actor, Darshan Thoogudeepa, birthday celebrations of noted rowdies and other illegalities.
In July 2017, then chief minister Siddaramaiah ordered a high-level inquiry into alleged favours extended to VK Sasikala, the former All India Anna Dravida
Munnetra Kazagam (AIADMK) leader who was jailed in a disproportionate assets case. D Roopa, then deputy inspector-general (prisons), had accused jail authorities of accepting a Rs 2 crore bribe from Sasikala to provide her preferential treatment.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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