“Not Prosecution But Persecution”: Savukku Shankar Moves Madras HC To Club All FIRs Against Him In Connection With Youtube Interview

YouTuber Savukku Shankar has approached the Madras High Court to transfer and club all FIRs registered against him in connection with a YouTube interview, where he allegedly made derogatory comments against the women police officers in the State. Justice G Jayachandran who heard the case on Thursday granted 3 weeks to the Additional Public Prosecutor to verify the FIRs and its details. Though Advocate Balaji Srinivas, appearing for Shankar, urged the court to prevent arrest during this period, the court was not inclined to grant any interim relief and adjourned the case. Srinivas told the court that out of all the cases registered against him, he was yet to be arrested in 10 cases. Srinivas further alleged that the prosecution was arresting Shankar the moment he got bail, thus preventing him from coming out. He added that though Shankar was given an interim release from the Supreme Court, the authorities prevented his release. He thus argued that what was being done against Shankar now was not prosecution but persecution. “They are arresting me (Shankar) the moment I get bail. I'm not able to come out. The SC has granted me interim release but they are not letting me go out. Its no longer prosecution but persecution,” Srinivas argued. Following his interview with RedPix 24X7 Youtube channel, an FIR was registered against him by the Cyber Crime Police, Coimbatore for offences under Sections 294(b), 353, 509 of the IPC read with Section 24 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act. FIRs were also lodged for the same offence in other districts also. A detention order was also passed under the TN Preventive Detention Act detaining Shankar, which is currently under challenge before the Madras High Court.In his petition, Shankar submitted that certain government authorities and the present ruling party were acting hand in glove to wreak out vengeance against him for exposing various frauds committed by the government authorities and the discrepancies happening in the departments. Shankar alleged that the detention displayed the vengeance unleashed by certain government officials and the cases were lodged against him with malafide intention and were completely motivated. He submitted that FIRs were lodged for the same incident in different districts to make him run several districts to contest the same. It was submitted that Shankar is suffering from severe health complications due to the injuries sustained during custodial violence. Shankar submitted that the entire exercise by the authorities was targeted, arbitrary, and ruthlessly vindictive and new cases were being foisted against him every other day. He added that he was being paraded from district to district in the name of producing him before the courts. Though Shankar had expressed his grievance through a representation, the authorities had not considered the same, the plea read. Thus, he urged the court to direct the authorities to consider his representation and transfer and club all the FIRs against him. Case Title: A Shankar @ Savukku Shankar v The Director General of Police Case No: WP No. 22957 of 2024

“Not Prosecution But Persecution”: Savukku Shankar Moves Madras HC To Club All FIRs Against Him In Connection With Youtube Interview

Upasana Sajeev

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