Pramesh S Jain
Former Chief Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison and DIG Somashekhar has been accused of misusing his official position to facilitate the release of life convict Shankar A.,including allegedly sexually exploiting the convict’s wife and granting him parole in violation of rules,according to the investigation.
The allegations against Somashekhar have emerged from statements recorded during the probe into the alleged release of Shankar in 2018 on the basis of a forged Supreme Court order.
Senior officer told reporters that the wife of Shankar,in her statement before the court under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),alleged that accused Srikanth had told her that she should sexually co-operate with Somashekhar to secure her husband’s release.
Police have alleged that Somashekhar subsequently sexually exploited her.
Investigators have also recorded statements from officers and staff of the Convict Prisoner Section who were on duty at the Central Prison in 2018.
They allegedly stated that Shankar’s release was carried out on the instructions of Somashekhar,who was then the Chief Superintendent.
Police further allege that Shankar had earlier absconded after being released on parole.
After he was apprehended and lodged in Central Prison, he applied for parole again.Although prison officials reportedly noted that he was not eligible, Somashekhar allegedly granted him parole on three occasions in 2018, for 15 days each time,in violation of the applicable rules.
The investigation has also raised questions over the verification carried out before granting parole.
Somashekhar had reportedly recorded that he contacted telephone number 23390847,purportedly belonging to Chandra Layout Police Station,and obtained verification on all three occasions.
Investigators later found that the number did not belong to the police station.
Police have also alleged that Somashekhar failed to properly verify the authenticity of the purported Supreme Court order used to release Shankar.
Investigators have questioned why the order was not subjected to proper verification,particularly when the judge whose signature appeared on the document had subsequently retired.
Shankar, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Fast Track Court-I in 2004 in a Chickpet police station case, was released from Central Prison on November 13, 2018,based on the allegedly forged order.
Somashekhar was arrested on October 4,produced before the court and subsequently taken into police custody for further interrogation.The investigation is continuing.
