Stories
Karnataka DIG Arrested Over Release of Life Convict Using Fake Supreme Court Order
- •M Somashekar, currently serving as DIG of Prisons in Kalaburagi, was arrested in connection with the illegal release of life convict Shankar Aradhya in November 2018.
- •Investigators allege that Shankar walked out of Bengaluru Central Prison using a fabricated Supreme Court order created by a prison staff member named Srikanth S.
- •Shankar was serving a life sentence for the kidnapping and murder of a minor boy and remained free for nearly eight years before being re-arrested in July 2026.
- •Police are investigating how the forged document bypassed prison verification protocols and whether Somashekar knowingly authorized the release despite irregularities.
Key Questions Answered
Life convict Shankar Aradhya walked out of Bengaluru Central Prison on November 13, 2018, after a forged document purporting to be a Supreme Court release order was fabricated by a prison staff member named Srikanth S and processed through official channels.
M Somashekar, currently serving as the DIG of Prisons in Kalaburagi, was the Chief Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison when Shankar was released. He was arrested on October 4, 2026, because investigators allege the convict was released on his direct instructions despite irregularities.
The fraud came to light after an insider submitted a petition alleging Shankar had escaped using forged documents. Following an inquiry prompted by Prisons DGP Alok Kumar, the Superintendent-in-charge of Bengaluru Central Prison lodged a formal complaint on May 20, 2026.
