Chennai: Noted YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar, currently lodged in the Coimbatore Central prison, was on Sunday detained under the Goondas Act. Based on the orders of Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, Sandeep Rai Rathore, the detention order under the Goondas Act was served on Shankar by a cyber crime (Chennai) police inspector on May 12, Chennai city police said.
There are seven cases pending against Shankar in Chennai police's central crime branch/cyber crime out of which three are under investigation, charge sheets have been filed in two and the remaining are pending trial, according to a police press note. Forty-eight year old Shankar was arrested on May 8 for alleged derogatory statements about women police personnel in an interview to a YouTube channel.
The channel head, Felix Gerald, who interviewed Shankar has been named as second accused and he has also been arrested. Other cases Shankar faces include one for possession of ganja, that was registered by Theni police. Shankar, a strong critic of the DMK regime and Chief Minister M K Stalin, 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 advisory board and the validity of such detentions are also examined by the High Court based on petitions filed by the affected persons. Days ago, BJP Mahila Morcha national chief Vanathai Srinivasan had hit out at the DMK government over the arrest of Shankar and said that the Tamil Nadu's ruling party still believed in the "old practice" of foisting Ganja case against critics which was 'shameful'.
Furthermore, she had said that if members of public submit complaints of defamation, they are directed by police to file defamation case in court. In select cases, police choose arrest and also file other cases, she said apparently referring to Shankar's arrest.
