Bengaluru Central Prison is at the centre of a serious criminal scandal after Karnataka Police alleged that two prison officials sexually exploited the wife of a life convict and fabricated a Supreme Court order to secure his illegal release in 2018. The case, investigated by the Parappana Agrahara Police Station, has led to the arrest of the convict and a prison employee, while a probe has been initiated against a senior official of the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG).

How the Case Came to Light

The matter surfaced following a complaint filed on 20 May by Karna B. Kshetri, Superintendent-in-Charge of Central Prison, Bengaluru, according to an official statement issued by the Electronic City Police Division on Monday. The complaint alleged that convict Shankar A. had fabricated a copy of a Supreme Court order, falsely claiming he had been released on 13 November 2018 on the basis of the forged document.

A case was subsequently registered at Parappana Agrahara Police Station under Sections 465, 468, 471 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and a formal investigation was launched.

Background: The Original Conviction

Investigators found that Shankar A. had originally been convicted in a case registered at Chikkapet Police Station under Sections 364(A) and 120(B) of the IPC. Fast Track Court-I had sentenced him to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹10,000 in its judgment dated 12 July 2004. Shankar had challenged his conviction before both the Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court of India, but both upheld the trial court's sentence.

The Alleged Exploitation and Forgery

According to the police investigation, Srikanth S., who was then working as a Second Division Assistant (SDA) and is currently serving as a First Division Assistant (FDA) in the Convict Prisoner Section of Central Prison, allegedly sexually exploited Shankar's wife. He then reportedly fabricated a copy of a Supreme Court order relating to a criminal appeal petition dated 2 November 2018, on the basis of which Shankar was illegally released from Central Prison on 13 November 2018.

Both Shankar A. and Srikanth S. were arrested and produced before a court, which remanded them to judicial custody.

Senior Official Under Investigation

In a further and graver dimension to the case, the convict's wife also alleged during examination that Somashekar, who was then serving as Chief Superintendent/DIG, had sexually exploited her in connection with efforts to secure her husband's release. Police confirmed that the allegation against Somashekar is under active investigation.

The investigation is being conducted under the guidance of M. Narayana, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Electronic City Division. Assistant Commissioner of Police Satish K.M., Police Inspector P.G. Naveen Kumar, PSIs Mahadevayya and Kalavathi, and other personnel were involved in tracing and apprehending the accused, according to police.

What Happens Next

The probe remains ongoing, with investigators now examining the full chain of events that allowed a forged Supreme Court order to go undetected within the prison system for years. The case raises serious questions about institutional oversight in Karnataka's correctional facilities and the vulnerability of prisoners' families to exploitation by those in positions of authority. Accountability proceedings against the DIG-rank official are expected to intensify as the investigation progresses.