Somashekhar DIGP
He was chief superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, in 2018, when the alleged illegal release took place. Somashekhar was produced before a local court on Monday and remanded to police custody until October 9. The case stems from the arrest last month of Second Division Assistant (SDA) Srikanth, attached to Bengaluru Central Prison, for allegedly producing forged Supreme Court documents to secure the release of murder convict Shankar in 2018. Somashekhar reportedly recorded that he had verified Shankar’s credentials by calling 23390847, claiming it was the number of Chandra Layout police station While approving the paroles.
Statements from prison officers and staff posted in the convict prisoner section at the time indicate that Shankar was released on the direct orders of Somashekhar. Police later confirmed that the number did not belong to the station, raising questions over the authenticity of the verification. Bengaluru: In a major crackdown on corruption within Karnataka Prisons and Correctional Services, a deputy inspector general (DIG) of prisons, North Zone, Kalaburagi, has been arrested for his alleged role in the release of a life-term murder convict using forged Supreme Court documents and for allegedly sexually exploiting the convict’s wife. The officer, Somashekhar, was arrested by a special team led by Electronics City deputy commissioner of police (DCP) M Narayana. Following a complaint and an internal inquiry, Shankar was re-arrested by police in August. Investigators allege that despite knowing the documents produced by Srikanth were forged, Somashekhar authorised the release. Investigators have also flagged discrepancies in the verification records.
The remand application filed before the court on Monday also contains allegations that Somashekhar sexually exploited Shankar’s wife and repeatedly bypassed prison procedures to extend favours to the convict.