Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Alleged Fake Supreme Court Order Leads to Prisons DIG’s Arrest
Police are investigating how a man serving a life sentence was released from a Bengaluru prison in 2018.
They say the release was based on a paper that looked like an order from India’s Supreme Court, but was allegedly fake.
Investigators allege a prison employee made the paper.
They also suspect M. Somashekar, who was in charge of the prison at the time, helped with the release.
Shankar had been sentenced to life in prison in 2004, and his appeals did not overturn the sentence.
Shankar and the employee have been arrested, as has Shankar’s wife.
She has accused Somashekar of sexually exploiting her, but that allegation has not been proven in court.
Police are still examining how the paper was handled and who was involved.
Police arrested M. Somashekar, now a Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, over his alleged role in Shankar Aradhya’s release from Bengaluru Central Prison in 2018.
Investigators allege Shankar was released on November 13, 2018, using a forged order presented as a Supreme Court directive.
Police allege prison employee Srikanth S fabricated the document; reports differ on whether he was then a First or Second Division Assistant.
Shankar had been sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2004, and his appeals, including to the Supreme Court, did not overturn his sentence.
Shankar, Srikanth and Shankar’s wife have also been arrested in connection with the case; the wife has accused Somashekar of sexual exploitation, an allegation not established in court.
- Who
- M. Somashekar, Shankar Aradhya, prison employee Srikanth S, and Shankar’s wife are among those named in the investigation.
- What
- Police are investigating Shankar’s release using an allegedly forged Supreme Court order and Somashekar’s alleged role.
- When
- Shankar was released on November 13, 2018. The complaint was filed on May 20, 2026; Somashekar was arrested on October 4, and Shankar was traced and re-arrested in July 2026.
- Where
- Bengaluru Central Prison in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Why
- Police allege a fabricated Supreme Court order was used to secure Shankar’s release from his life sentence.
- Arrested officer
- M. Somashekar, a Deputy Inspector General of Prisons; he was Chief Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison when Shankar was released.
- Prisoner
- Shankar Aradhya, a life convict.
- Alleged release
- November 13, 2018, from Bengaluru Central Prison.
- Sentence
- Life imprisonment, imposed by Fast Track Court-1 on July 12, 2004.
- Alleged forged document
- A purported Supreme Court order directing Shankar’s release; investigators allege it was fabricated.
- Employee named
- Srikanth S; reports differ on whether he was then a First or Second Division Assistant.
- Complaint
- The in-charge superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison filed a complaint with Parappana Agrahara police on May 20, 2026.
- Additional allegation
- Shankar’s wife accused Somashekar of sexually exploiting her; the allegation has not been established by a court.
