Karnataka HC stays probe against Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in land encroachment case

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, January 13, temporarily stayed investigation against Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who has been named as an accused in a first information report (FIR) alleging encroachment of public land in Bengaluru.

Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the interim order while hearing a petition filed by Ravi Shankar seeking quashing of the FIR registered by the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) on September 19, 2023, Bar and Bench reported. The stay will be in force until January 21, which is the next date of hearing. 

In his order, Justice Nagaprasanna observed that there was, prima facie, nothing on record to implicate Ravi Shankar in the alleged encroachment. “A perusal of the complaint would indicate no allegations against this petitioner. Without any allegations, the petitioner cannot be drawn into the web of crime,” the court said, adding that the investigation against Ravi Shankar would remain stayed until the next date of hearing on January 21.

Special Public Prosecutor Belliappa assured the court that no arrest or precipitative action was contemplated as it was a case of land encroachment. He opposed Ravi Shankar’s plea to quash the FIR, saying that he was suspected to have encroached on land and that he could be investigated. 

The FIR is linked to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2023 by Chandra Sekaran N and others, seeking demolition of structures allegedly built by encroaching on government land in Kaggalipura village of Bengaluru South taluk. Ravi Shankar was named as one of the respondents in the PIL, though he had maintained that he did not own any land in the area and was made a party for ulterior motives.

The High Court had closed the PIL in September last year, directing the State to take action against any encroachers in accordance with law. Ravi Shankar’s counsel argued that even in the State’s memo filed in the PIL, his name did not appear in the list of alleged encroachers, nor was he named in proceedings before a Land Grabbing Court in 2024. The BMTF then registered an FIR suo motu, naming him as an accused.