Karnataka Prisons DIG accused of sexually exploiting convict’s wife to secure his release

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Oct 6, 2026: A senior Karnataka prisons official has been arrested for allegedly facilitating the release of a life convict from Bengaluru Central Prison using a forged Supreme Court order in 2018. The official has also been accused of sexually exploiting the convict’s wife in exchange for helping secure his release, police said.

M Somashekar (50), currently serving as Deputy Inspector General (North Range) in the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services, Belagavi, was arrested on October 4. A court has remanded him to police custody until October 9 for further questioning, a senior police officer said.

The case dates back to November 13, 2018, when life convict Shankar Armugam was released from Bengaluru Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, on the basis of a forged Supreme Court order.

Shankar had been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 by the Fast Track Court-I in a kidnapping-for-ransom case registered by Chickpet police on July 12, 2004. His appeals before the Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court had been unsuccessful.

Police investigations revealed that Srikanth S, who was then working as a second division assistant and is now a first division assistant in the Convict Prisoner Section, allegedly forged a Supreme Court order showing that Shankar’s criminal appeal had been allowed and that he was to be released on November 2, 2018.

Somashekar was serving as the chief superintendent of the prison at the time. Acting on the forged document, prison authorities released Shankar on November 13, 2018.

The alleged forgery came to light in 2026 after questions were raised over the authenticity of the documents used to secure Shankar’s release. In May, the superintendent in-charge of Bengaluru Central Prison lodged a police complaint alleging that forged judicial documents had been used to facilitate the release.

Police subsequently arrested Shankar and Srikanth in connection with the alleged forgery.

During the investigation, Shankar’s wife reportedly told police that Somashekar had helped secure her husband’s release. She further alleged that her husband had entered into an arrangement with the official under which Somashekar sexually exploited her in return for facilitating his release, a senior police officer said.

Police said Somashekar allegedly failed to cooperate with the investigation and concealed information related to the case.

The investigation is continuing.