Bengaluru, Oct 5 (IANS) Two prison officials allegedly sexually exploited the wife of a life convict and subsequently fabricated a Supreme Court order to secure his release from Bengaluru Central Prison in 2018, police said.
The Parappana Agrahara police have arrested the convict and a prison employee and initiated an investigation against an officer of the rank of DIG in connection with the case.
According to an official statement issued by the Electronic City Police Division in Bengaluru on Monday, the case came to light following a complaint filed by Karna B. Kshetri, Superintendent-in-Charge of Central Prison, Bengaluru, on May 20.
The complaint alleged that convict Shankar A. had fabricated a copy of a Supreme Court order and falsely claimed that he had been released on November 13, 2018, based on the purported order.
A case was registered at Parappana Agrahara Police Station under Sections 465, 468, 471 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and an investigation was initiated.
During the investigation, police found that Shankar A. had been convicted in a Chikkapet Police Station case registered under Sections 364(A) and 120(B) of the IPC.
The Fast Track Court-I, in its judgment dated July 12, 2004, had sentenced him to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.
Shankar had challenged the conviction and sentence before the Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court. However, the sentence imposed by the trial court was upheld.
According to the police investigation, Srikanth S., who was then working as a Second Division Assistant (SDA) and is currently serving as a First Division Assistant (FDA) in the Convict Prisoner Section of the Central Prison, allegedly sexually exploited Shankar’s wife.
Police further alleged that Srikanth subsequently fabricated a copy of a purported Supreme Court order relating to a criminal appeal petition dated November 2, 2018.
Based on the fabricated document, Shankar was released from the Central Prison on November 13, 2018.
Police arrested Shankar A. and Srikanth S. and produced them before a court, which remanded both accused to judicial custody.
During the examination of the convict’s wife, she also alleged that Somashekar, who was then serving as Chief Superintendent/DIG, had sexually exploited her in connection with efforts to secure the release of her husband, referred to in the statement as convict Shankar A.
Police said the allegation against Somashekar is being investigated and that the probe is continuing.
The investigation is being conducted under the guidance of M. Narayana, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Electronic City Division.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Satish K.M., Police Inspector P.G. Naveen Kumar, PSIs Mahadevayya and Kalavathi, and other personnel were involved in tracing and apprehending the accused, police said.
The investigation is continuing.
–IANS
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