HC refuses to quash charges against prison warder in bribery and corruption case

Bengaluru: The High Court has refused to quash the charges filed against Basavaraj R. Uppar, then Chief Warder of the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, in a corruption case where prison officials were accused of taking bribes to allow inmates to use mobile phones illegally.

Justice J.M. Khazi, hearing Uppar’s petition to annul the FIR and chargesheet filed by the Lokayukta police, dismissed the plea and observed that there was sufficient prima facie evidence against the accused. The bench noted that competent authority had already granted sanction to prosecute, and investigators should be allowed to establish the charges in trial.

The court also rejected the defence counsel’s argument that the case amounted to an “abuse of judicial process.” “There is adequate material to show the involvement of the petitioner. Statements recorded under Section 164 of CrPC by witnesses corroborate the allegations. Hence, the petition deserves dismissal,” the order stated.

The case dates back to a complaint lodged by the wife of a life convict, who alleged that the then Jail Superintendent S.H. Jayaram had demanded a bribe of Rs10,000 for recommending parole. The complainant claimed that Jayaram sought Rs5,000 as advance. Acting on her tip-off, Lokayukta officials organized a trap and caught Jayaram’s associates while accepting the money.

Investigations revealed that Bandepa S. Badiger, another warder, acted as an intermediary, collecting the bribe on behalf of Jayaram. During the probe, Uppar’s name surfaced as the third accused. Lokayukta sleuths alleged that he facilitated illegal mobile phone usage for the same convict inside the prison. Not only did Uppar provide access, but he also allegedly allowed other inmates to use the device in exchange for Rs300 per hour. He then deleted the call data to destroy evidence.

Based on these findings, Lokayukta filed a chargesheet against Uppar. Seeking relief, Uppar moved the High Court to quash the proceedings, arguing that the allegations of bribery primarily concerned the first and second accused and that he had no role in the illegal transactions.

The prosecution, however, countered that call records and witness testimonies directly implicated Uppar in the offence. With the High Court rejecting Uppar’s plea, the case will now proceed before the trial court. Lokayukta officials have maintained that the charges reflect a larger nexus of corruption within the prison system, where officials allegedly exploited inmates for personal gain.