DIG Sri Somashekar, a former chief superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison, was taken into custody by the Parappana Agrahara police after investigators linked him to a forged Supreme Court order that freed life‑sentence convict Shankar A. on November 13, 2018. The arrest follows claims that Somashekar sexually exploited the convict’s wife in exchange for securing her husband’s release. The police say his actions were part of a broader scheme to manipulate prison records.
The investigation began when Shankar’s wife testified that Somashekar had coerced her into a sexual relationship to obtain a forged order that appeared to grant her husband parole. Authorities have identified prison employee Srikanth S. as the one who fabricated the document, forging the Supreme Court stamp and signature. The case underscores the alleged systemic abuse within the prison’s administrative machinery.
Somashekar allegedly failed to cooperate with the inquiry and concealed key information, prompting his arrest on grounds of obstruction and potential fraud. The court has placed him under police custody pending further interrogation. His role as DIG in the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services now casts doubt on the integrity of the institution he once managed.
Shankar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Fast Track Court‑I in 2004 for a case registered at Chickpet Police Station, a sentence that was later upheld by higher courts. The forged order, allegedly produced in 2018, allowed him to walk out of Bengaluru Central Prison for a period of five years before the anomaly was discovered. The incident has sparked calls for a comprehensive audit of prison records.
The investigation will determine whether Somashekar faces charges for fraud, sexual exploitation, or abuse of office, and officials plan to audit prison protocols to prevent similar misconduct. The outcome could prompt reforms in the state’s prison administration.