A special court in Bengaluru has granted conditional bail to Byrathi Basavaraj, a BJP MLA, in the murder case of realtor Shivaprakash, known as 'Bikla Shiva'. The MLA, who was arrested on February 12, 2026, after his anticipatory bail pleas were rejected by the High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court, was released upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 2,00,000 with two sureties of the same amount. The court’s decision comes amidst ongoing legal challenges, including the CID’s attempt to seek an early hearing in the Supreme Court for a stay on a previous High Court order to drop stringent KCOCA charges against Basavaraj and 19 others.
Conditions of Release and Ongoing Legal Maneuvers
The bail granted to Basavaraj is not without its stipulations. He has been directed not to threaten or tamper with prosecution witnesses, nor to indirectly or directly influence any of them. Furthermore, he is required to appear before the investigating officer whenever summoned and cooperate with the ongoing probe. His movement is restricted, barring him from leaving the court’s jurisdiction without explicit written permission.
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The legal imbroglio surrounding this case appears far from settled. The CID’s move to the Supreme Court on February 23 to seek an early hearing for a stay on the High Court’s order to drop KCOCA charges highlights the contested nature of the evidence and legal arguments. This KCOCA matter was listed for hearing this week, but has seen multiple adjournments. A tentative date of March 10 was previously provided by the Supreme Court for an expedited hearing.
The Case and Allegations
Basavaraj, representing the K.R. Puram Assembly constituency, is listed as the fifth accused among 20 individuals implicated in the murder of Shivaprakash, a realtor and a figure described as a 'rowdy-sheeter', who was killed on July 15, 2025. The police claim that subsequent investigations have established Basavaraj’s alleged links to the prime accused, a person named Jagadeesh, alias Jagga. The defense, however, has contended that Basavaraj has been falsely implicated. The BJP has pointed to alleged political vendetta, accusing the ruling Congress-led government of targeting Basavaraj.
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A Timeline of Legal Battles
The sequence of events leading to this bail order involves a series of legal rejections before the special court’s intervention. After his arrest on February 12, 2026, Basavaraj underwent a week of police interrogation before being remanded to judicial custody. His anticipatory bail plea was initially denied by the Karnataka High Court, a decision subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court, which also reportedly rejected his bail plea. His absconding after the High Court’s denial of bail was also noted in reports.