Supreme Court cancels IPS officer Srinath Mahadev's anticipatory bail

The Supreme Court cancelled IPS officer Srinath Mahadev's anticipatory bail and ordered his surrender. The ruling underscores the need for deeper scrutiny of corruption allegations within the Lokayuktha.

In Short

• Mahadev was serving as Lokayuktha superintendent when allegations emerged against him
• Dismissed constable Ningappa Savantha allegedly extorted money by impersonating an official
• Investigators found Mahadev's seized mobile phones tampered with and extensively damaged

The Supreme Court has cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to IPS officer Srinath Joshi Mahadev, who is accused of abusing his official position in a corruption case being investigated by the Karnataka Lokayuktha Police, Press Trust of India reported.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva set aside the Karnataka High Court's order and directed Mahadev to surrender within three weeks of its October 29 order. It said he could seek regular bail from the appropriate court in accordance with the law.

The Supreme Court allowed an appeal filed by the Karnataka Lokayuktha Police against the high court's September 1, 2025, order granting pre-arrest bail to Mahadev, who was then serving as a superintendent of police in the Lokayuktha.

Referring to material gathered by the prosecution, the bench said it warranted “deeper examination”. It added that the high court was not justified in ruling out the possibility of custodial questioning by granting Mahadev anticipatory bail.

The case arises from a First Information Report registered on June 2, 2025, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The FIR initially named only Ningappa Savantha, a dismissed police constable, as an accused.

According to the prosecution, Savantha allegedly posed as an official from the Lokayuktha's office and extorted money from public servants by threatening them, PTI reported. Mahadev was later named as the second accused on the basis of disclosures made by Savantha.

The prosecution alleged that the two accused were in contact and that Savantha frequently visited the Lokayuktha office to meet Mahadev.

Investigators seized two mobile phones from Mahadev. The Supreme Court noted that the devices had been tampered with and extensively damaged. They were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination, but its report was still awaited when the high court granted him anticipatory bail.

The Supreme Court said the allegations against Mahadev required serious consideration, particularly because he was a senior police officer serving in an institution established to fight corruption.

“The very objective of the Lokayuktha's establishment is to check corruption,” the bench observed. It added that the allegation of an officer serving in the institution being involved in corruption required serious examination.

The court also said Mahadev, as a senior officer in a uniformed service, could not seek the same treatment as an ordinary person asking for protection from investigation and arrest.

Mahadev had earlier sought anticipatory bail from the special court, but his applications were rejected. He then approached the Karnataka High Court, which granted him relief in September 2025.

The high court had considered that Mahadev appeared before the investigating officer after receiving a notice and was not arrested. It consequently held that there was no apprehension of arrest and granted him anticipatory bail.

The Supreme Court has now overturned that relief, citing the need for a deeper examination of the prosecution's material and allowing Mahadev three weeks to surrender while retaining his right to seek regular bail.

- Ends