Madras High Court Closes Plea Challenging Savukku Shankar's Detention After State Revokes Goondas Act Order

The Madras High Court on Thursday (21st May), closed a habeas corpus plea challenging the detention of YouTuber Journalist Savukku Shankar under the Tamil Nadu Goondas Act.The vacation bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice V Lakshminarayan took note of the Government Order passed by the Home, Prohibition and Excise (XIII) Department revoking his detention. Thus, noting that the plea has become infructuous, the court closed the plea. Meanwhile, another plea filed by Shankar's nephew seeking to take him to a speciality hospital for comprehensive cardiac evaluation and for giving him necessary treatment under the supervision of qualified cardiologists has been posted to next week."What's under challenge in this habeas corpus plea is the detention order dated April 9, 2026. When the HCP was taken for final disposal, we were informed that G.O Rt No 2977 has been passed, revoking the order of detention. Nothing further for consideration in this HCP. Closed as infructuous," the court noted in its order.It may be noted that Shankar was classified as a Goonda and detained under the Act by an order of the Commissioner of Police on April 9, 2026. The ground case, based on which the detention order was passed, is an attempt to murder case. Another vacation court has granted Shankar bail in the ground case. In his plea, Shankar's nephew Bharath submitted that Shankar was innocent and falsely implicated in the ground case. It is submitted that the ground case was foisted against him only to detain Shankar and silence him for his journalistic and whistleblowing activities. It is submitted that the detention order was passed mechanically, without any application of mind.Bharath submitted that repeatedly implicating Shankar in false and vindictive cases showed that the preventive detention mechanism was being misused for punitive purposes, which was impermissible in law. It is submitted that even if the ground case was taken to be true, it would, at best, only amount to a law and order issue and would not have any bearing on public order. It is submitted that the allegations were confined to police officials allegedly involved in the occurrence, and there was no material to establish disturbance to public life or any panic affecting the community at large. It is thus argued that a routine criminal allegation has been exaggerated into one affecting public order, and the sponsoring authority has improperly invoked the provisions of the preventive detention law.Bharath also pointed out that due to the Elections and the consequent change of the ruling party and formation of a new government, his representation was not considered, and no Advisory Board was set up. Thus, he claimed that there was an urgency in the case, warranting interference by the court.He also submitted that, though a plea was moved before the Supreme Court, the court permitted him to withdraw the case and approach the High Court.Case Title: Bharath v The Additional Chief SecretaryCitation: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 218Case No: HCP 937 of 2026

Madras High Court Closes Plea Challenging Savukku Shankar's Detention After State Revokes Goondas Act Order

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Madras High Court Closes Plea Challenging Savukku Shankar's Detention After State Revokes Goondas Act Order

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