BENGALURU : Karnataka Prisons DIG M Somashekar has been arrested for his alleged role in facilitating the release of a life convict from Bengaluru Central Prison in 2018 using a forged Supreme Court order, police said.
Somashekar, who was serving as chief superintendent of the prison at the time, was taken into custody on October 4 and later produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody till October 9.
The case came to light after prison authorities discovered that the release order used for convict Shankar A was allegedly fabricated. Police suspect that a prison employee, Srikanth S, prepared the fake Supreme Court document, based on which Shankar was released on November 13, 2018.
Investigators are examining Somashekar’s alleged role in processing and authorising the release. Police are also probing an allegation by the convict’s wife that the officer sexually exploited her while promising to help secure her husband’s release.
The investigation is underway to establish how the forged order was prepared, processed and used to secure the convict’s release.