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Supreme Court stays action on 16 FIRs against Youtuber Savukku Shankar
YouTuber Savukku Shankar is facing 16 FIRs in connection with an interview in April where he made defamatory remarks against female police personnel.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu police not to take any coercive action against Youtuber Savukku Shankar who is facing 16 FIRs in connection with an interview given to a social media platform in April this year wherein he allegedly made defamatory remarks against female police personnel.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud issued notice on the petition filed by Shankar to quash the 16 criminal cases pending against him as he alleged the same to be deliberate on part of the state government to persecute him as he has been speaking out against politicians and bureaucrats involved in corruption.
Issuing notice to the state, the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj MIsra said, “We have granted protection from any coercive action in all 16 FIRs.”
The court directed advocate Balaji Srinivasan appearing for Shankar along with advocates K Gowtham Kumar and Harsha Tripathi to file a chart giving details of all the first information reports (FIR) pending against him across various districts of the state.
Balaji informed the bench that he has obtained bail in all the FIRs but despite that, he was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a fresh FIR under Goondas Act registered in connection with a subsequent interview given by him in October last year.
“The police has placed the petitioner under preventive detention after the Madras high court by a detailed judgment on August 9, set aside the earlier detention order passed on May 12,” Balaji said. The court said, “We have now stopped all coercive action.” Shankar’s lawyers said that a fresh petition will be moved challenging the latest detention ordre.
The HC order of August 9 came on a habeas corpus petition filed by A Kamala, mother of Shankar challenging his detention. The order followed a rebuke by the top court on July 18 taking exception to the high court adjourning the habeas corpus plea indefinitely when it concerned the liberty of a citizen. The top court sent the matter back to the high court to decide it expeditiously while ordering Shankar’s release on interim bail.
In his present petition, Shankar stated, “Due to there being multiple FIRs registered against the petitioner, all arising out of the same incident, the petitioner is being paraded around across various districts to attend court hearings, which is taking a toll on the mental and physical health of the petitioner, which is already in shambles.”
He said that the action against him was a clear attempt by the state to harass him. Since 2021, the petitioner has been exposing the corrupt activities of bureaucrats and powerful politicians in the state of Tamil Nadu. The petition said, “One notable exposé of the petitioner was the ‘cash for jobs’ scam that led to the arrest of a powerful minister of the ruling party. who was also forced to resign from his post.”
He was referring to former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, who is currently in jail in connection with separate cases probed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him in relation to the allegations that he took bribes in 2014 promising jobs in state transport department while he was Transport Minister in the then AIADMK-led government.
He faced complaints over his April 30 interview for allegedly making defamatory remarks against female police personnel. Subsequently, a total of 16 FIRs were filed against him arising out of the same interview. He was booked under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (Amendment) Act, Information Technology Act and provisions under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The preventive detention order was passed against him on May 12 declaring him a ‘goonda’ under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Goonda, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1928.
