Karnataka High Court News: Probe Against Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to Continue

The High Court of Karnataka has made headlines this Friday, January 9, 2026, with two significant rulings that impact high-profile figures and state governance. In a setback for spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the court refused to pause a police investigation regarding alleged land encroachment. Simultaneously, the court issued a landmark directive to overhaul the state’s E-Procurement System to prevent corruption in public contracts.

Here is a detailed breakdown of today’s major legal developments from the courtroom.

1. No Relief for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Land Case

In a major order today, the single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna refused to grant interim protection or stay the investigation against Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

• The Case: The spiritual guru has been named as an accused in an FIR filed by the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF). The charges fall under Section 192A of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, alleging unlawful occupation of government land.
• The Allegation: The complaint accuses the Art of Living founder and others of encroaching upon public land and a Rajakaluve (stormwater drain) in Kaggalipura village, Bengaluru South.
• Court’s Observation: Justice Nagaprasanna remarked that halting the probe now would contradict earlier orders from a Division Bench that mandated action against encroachers.
  • “To stall any kind of investigation now would be running counter to what the Division Bench observes… it would not be appropriate to pass any protective order at this juncture,” the court stated.
• What Next: The petitioner is at liberty to approach the court if a formal notice is issued, but the probe remains active. The next hearing is listed for January 12, 2026.

2. Court Orders “Technological Overhaul” of Tender System

In a separate but crucial governance ruling, the High Court has directed the State Government to fix its E-Procurement Portal immediately.

• The Issue: The court noticed a surge in cases where contractors were submitting fake Bank Guarantees to win government tenders.
• The Directive: The court has mandated the integration of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) between the state portal and banks/RBI.
• Why It Matters: This technological upgrade will allow real-time verification of documents. A “searchable database” and “tamper-proof QR codes” will now be mandatory for all public works contracts in Karnataka, effectively ending the era of paper-based fraud in tenders.

3. Updates on Kogilu Layout Demolition

The state government also made a submission regarding the controversial demolition drive in Kogilu Layout, North Bengaluru.

• State’s Stand: The Advocate General informed the court that satellite imagery proves the demolished houses were recent constructions, countering the residents’ claim that they had lived there for 28 years.
• Evidence: The government stated the “satellite data is factually correct” and justifies the removal of illegal colonies on government land.

4. Darshan Case Update: Cyber Crime Arrests

While not a direct HC order today, the legal saga involving actor Darshan continues to involve the High Court’s oversight.

• Latest Action: The Cyber Crime police have arrested two more individuals from Hubballi and Dharwad for posting obscene content against the actor’s wife, Vijayalakshmi. This comes after the High Court previously denied bail to the actor in the Renukaswamy murder case, citing the gravity of the offence.

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