The Supreme Court of India ordered the immediate release of YouTuber Savukku Shankar on Wednesday after the Tamil Nadu government revoked his detention under the Goondas Act. The court’s directive followed a petition filed by Shankar’s mother, A. Kamala, challenging the August 12 detention order.
During the proceedings, senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra, representing the state government, informed the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that the Advisory Board had recommended the revocation of the detention order. The court acknowledged the state’s statement and disposed of the petition, stating, “In view of the aforesaid, the detenue Savukku Shankar shall be released forthwith, if not required in any other case.”
Shankar had been detained under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, and Video Pirates Act of 1982. Kamala argued that the recent detention was an attempt to prevent her son’s release, noting that a similar detention order issued in May had been struck down by the Madras High Court on August 9.
Shankar, known for exposing corruption within the Tamil Nadu government, particularly in a cash-for-jobs scandal involving former minister V. Senthil Balaji, has faced multiple legal challenges. The state government denied any malicious intent, claiming that Shankar’s detention was warranted due to the recovery of narcotic substances from his possession.
Additionally, Shankar faces 16 FIRs in Tamil Nadu related to a controversial YouTube interview where he made inflammatory remarks against women police officers. He has challenged these FIRs in a separate petition, seeking to consolidate the cases since they stem from the same interview conducted in April. The Supreme Court had previously stayed any coercive actions against him regarding these FIRs.
The court has requested the Tamil Nadu government to confirm whether the FIRs are indeed linked to the same interview, emphasizing the need to club them if so. These FIRs were filed under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (Amendment) Act, the Information Technology Act, and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
As the legal battle continues, Shankar’s case has drawn significant attention, highlighting issues of free speech and governmental authority in India.
Sources By Agencies
