SC takes note of fresh detention of TN YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar for possessing ganja

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday took note of fresh detention of YouTuber Shankar alias ‘Savukku’ Shankar under the stringent Goondas Act by the Tamil Nadu Police in a ganja possession case lodged in May.

The YouTuber was detained again by the state police on Monday.

Four days before his latest detention, the Madras High Court had set aside an order of the Chennai City Police Commissioner detaining him under the Goondas Act. It had directed the Youtuber, lodged in the Coimbatore Central Prison, to be set at liberty forthwith if he was not required in any other case.

Before this, the top court had on July 18 ordered his interim release.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the fresh plea of Shankar that he has been arrested again.

The bench took note of the submissions of lawyer Balaji Srinivasan that he had been arrested again by the Tamil Nadu Police after the top court and the high court ordered his release.

“I got bail in all cases and now they have again detained me again,” the lawyer said.

The CJI, while agreeing to hear the fresh plea, said, “We have granted protection from any coercive action in all the 16 FIRs. Please file a complete chart of all the FIRs as well.”

The high court had on August 9 set aside an order of the Chennai City Police Commissioner, detaining him under the stringent Goondas Act.

Allowing a Habeas Corpus Petition filed by Shankar’s mother A Kamala, the high court had directed the Youtuber to be set free, if he was not required in any other case.

Shankar, 48, was arrested by the Coimbatore Police on May 4 in southern Theni for alleged derogatory statements about women police personnel in an interview to a YouTube channel.

Shankar also faces a case for possession of ganja, registered by Theni police.

The YouTuber had submitted in court that he was assaulted in Coimbatore prison.

A detenu under the Goondas Act may be imprisoned for one year, subject to scrutiny by an advisory board and the validity of such detentions is also examined by the high court based on petitions filed by the affected persons.

Shankar, who has been accused by a number of people of making personal attacks and uncivil remarks, is a strong critic of the DMK regime and Chief Minister M K Stalin.

A former special assistant in the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, the YouTuber was accused in 2008 of leaking sensitive conversations between officials.

A court years later acquitted him in that case.