The Supreme Court has set aside the anticipatory bail granted to a Superintendent of Police in the Karnataka Lokayukta Police in an extortion case.
A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva also flagged the irony of a Lokayukta police officer being accused of corruption when the very objective of the establishment of Lokayukta was to curb corruption.
"As the very objective of the Lokayuktha's establishment is to check corruption, the allegation against the respondent to the effect that he is himself a part of such corruption, warranted serious consideration," the bench said.
The Court passed the order on October 29 on an appeal moved by the Lokayukta Police against a September 2025 order of the Karnataka High Court that granted pre-arrest bail to IPS officer Srinath Joshi Mahadev.
"Given the material procured by the prosecution, which warranted deeper examination, the High Court was not justified in foreclosing the possibility of custodial interrogation by granting anticipatory bail to the respondent," it said.
The Court directed him to surrender within three weeks.
"He would be at liberty to seek regular bail, thereafter, in accordance with law before the appropriate forum," the Court added.
The Court observed that as a member of a uniformed service, Mahadev cannot claim parity with a layman, who seeks protection from being arraigned as an accused in a criminal case and being investigated or arrested.
It noted that the officer was of "the rank of no less than the Superintendent of Police" and faced grave accusations of abuse of office within the Lokayukta.
The case arose from an FIR registered in June 2025 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
It alleged that Ningappa Savantha, a police constable dismissed from service for unauthorised absence, posed as an official of the Lokayukta's office to extract money from public servants under threat.
Mahadev was not named initially, but was implicated on basis of Savantha's disclosures.
The prosecution told the High Court that the two were in touch and that Savantha used to visit the Lokayukta office to meet Mahadev.
The trial court twice rejected Mahadev's plea for anticipatory bail, in June and July 2025. The High Court then granted him relief, reasoning that since he had appeared before the Investigating Officer pursuant to a notice and had not been arrested, there was no apprehension of arrest.
Before the Supreme Court, it was pointed out that two mobile phones seized from the officer had been tampered with and extensively damaged. The forensic report on the handsets was awaited when the High Court passed its order.
Considering these facts, the Supreme Court set aside the bail order.
Advocates Vikram Hegde, Trishan Dollny and Akshit Singla appeared for the Lokayukta Police.
Senior Advocate Gaurav Aggarwal with advocates Sanjay Jain, Shankar Hegde and Sunny Sachin Rawat appeared for the officer.
[Read Order]