BENGALURU: A city civil and sessions court has refused to grant bail to an accused, who has been in judicial custody for four months after he was arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta.
“If the accused is released on bail, there is a possibility of him absconding and also he may continue to make derogatory remarks against the Lokayukta and Upalokayukta,” said Rashmi M, Judge of LXVII Additional City Civil and Sessions Court, dismissing the bail petition filed by G Shankar from Ballari, on March 17.
Shankar, who claimed to be a representative of the public and shopkeepers of Sri Nageshwara Temple in Ballari, filed a complaint before the Lokayukta on February 19, 2015, against the assistant commissioner of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Institutions in Ballari.
Accordingly, a notice was issued to the assistant commissioner and the complainant to appear before the Lokayukta on July 20, 2017. The assistant commissioner submitted a report stating that action has been taken for construction of a commercial complex to increase the income of the temple and shops will be allotted as per rules.
Also, officials cleared the encroachment as per the direction of the Lokayukta and submitted a report. After an inquiry, the complaint filed by the accused was closed on the grounds that tenants were evicted as per law.
On September 3, 2022, the accused wrote to the Upa Lokayukta expressing dissatisfaction over closure of his complaint. He also made derogatory remarks against the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta in the letter. The letter was placed before the Lokayukta. A show cause notice was issued to the accused on April 19, 2023.
He replied to the notice on May 11, 2023, again making derogatory remarks against the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta.
On receiving a private complaint by the registrar of the Lokayukta and taking cognisance of the offence, the court issued summons to the accused. Despite issuing summons and non-bailable warrants seven times, he did not appear before the court.
On November 18, 2025, the jurisdictional police apprehended him from Andhra Pradesh and produced him before the jurisdictional court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
The accused, through his counsel, submitted that he has been falsely implicated in this case and has no permanent address. He also submitted that he be released on personal bond as he has no surety and money to deposit as security.