4 months ago
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The High Court of Karnataka has stayed the probe against Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, laminitis of Art of Living Foundation, Bengaluru, based connected a First Information Report (FIR) registered suo-motu by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) successful September 2025 connected allegations of encroachment of definite authorities lands against him and others.
“A perusal of the ailment would prima facie bespeak nary allegations against this petitioner. Without immoderate allegations, the petitioner cannot beryllium drawn into the web of crime, unless the State Public Prosecutor would spot connected grounds thing to bespeak that the petitioner is straight progressive successful definite acts,” the tribunal said successful its interim order, which volition beryllium successful unit till January 21, the adjacent day of proceeding connected the petition.
Interim order
Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the interim bid connected January 13 connected the petition filed by Mr. Ravi Shankar.
The Court stayed the probe arsenic the BMTF could not nutrient documents to amusement that the allegation made successful the FIR that helium has encroached authorities onshore astatine survey numbers 160, 164/1, 164/2, 150 and 137, situated astatine Kaggalipura Village, Uttarahalli Hobli, Bangalore South Taluk, adjacent aft the tribunal connected January 7 had fixed clip till January 13 to nutrient records.
It has been contended successful the petition that Mr. Ravi Shankar neither owns immoderate spot nor is successful amerciable concern of immoderate authorities lands connected these survey numbers.
Following a PIL
The backdrop of registration of the transgression was an bid passed connected September 9, 2025, by a part seat of the Court portion disposing of successful a PIL petition, filed successful 2023 by Chandrashekhar N. and others, who had alleging encroachment of authorities lands and lakes successful these survey numbers by the petitioner and others, including a existent property firm.
As the study submitted by the authorities earlier the part seat indicated operation of apartments allegedly encroaching definite authorities lands and a lake, the seat had asked the authorities to instrumentality due steps arsenic per the law.
The State Public Prosecutor said that the sanction of the petitioner did outpouring arsenic a responsive successful the PIL petition, pursuant to which, the contiguous FIR was registered and hence nary responsibility tin beryllium recovered with the BMTF successful registering the transgression arsenic they person not committed immoderate procedural aberration.
However, the petitioner pointed retired to the tribunal that the BMTF had arraigned him arsenic an accused successful the FIR adjacent though his sanction was not determination successful the study of encroachments submitted earlier the part seat successful the PIL petition.
