No Interim Protection for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Karnataka High Court Allows Encroachment Probe to Continue

The Karnataka High Court on January 7, 2026, declined to stay an ongoing probe or grant protective relief to spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is named as an accused in a first information report (FIR) alleging encroachment of public land in Bengaluru.

The bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna was hearing a petition by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar seeking quashing of the FIR registered by the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force Police under Section 192A of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, which penalises unlawful entry or occupation of government land with intent to hold it.

Rejecting the plea for interim protection, court observed that halting the investigation at this stage would run contrary to an earlier division bench direction in a public interest litigation that had found prima facie encroachments on public land, including constructions over a rajakaluve (storm water drain) connecting lakes in parts of Kaggalipura Village, Uttarahalli Hobli, Bengaluru South Taluk.

The backdrop of registration of the crime was the order passed by the division bench in the PIL wherein it was alleged that the respondents therein had encroached upon the public lands to some extent and even constructed property on a Rajakaluve.

The division bench had observed that the map indicated that certain constructions had been raised in Survey Nos.164/2, 163/3 and 161/7 and 160 of Kaggalipura Village, Uttarahalli Hobli, Bangaluru South Taluk. Additionally, a large part of Survey No.150, which was indicated to be a tank, had also been encroached. The division bench had clearly directed that in view of the Government's stance that in fact, there had been encroachment of public lands, it considered it apposite to dispose the PIL petition by directing action to be taken against encroachers as was warranted, albeit, in accordance with law.

In view of this, Justice Nagaprasanna said it was not appropriate to pass any protective order without first examining the full case records, but allowed the petitioner liberty to approach the court again if he is served with a notice of investigation.

The matter is listed for further hearing on January 12, 2026.

Counsel for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar argued that he had no personal role in the activities of the other accused, did not own the disputed land, and was incorrectly implicated. The high court also directed the state to procure the complete case records and place them before the court on the next date.

Case: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar vs State of Karnataka

Bench: Justice M. Nagaprasanna

Order Date: January 7, 2026