Latest news with #Savukku'Shankar
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Submit list of criminal cases against ‘Savukku' Shankar: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court, on Monday (July 14, 2025) directed the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP) and Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police to submit by July 29 a list of criminal cases pending against YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar alias A. Shankar (48) and the number of cases in which investigation had been completed. The direction was issued while ordering notice to the three top officials and directing them to file their counter affidavit to a writ petition filed by Mr. Shankar alleging police interference in the functioning of Savukku Media (One Person Company) Private Limited. During the course of hearing of the writ petition, the judge criticised journalists who conduct parallel media trial in criminal cases just for sensationalisation and go to the extent of dictating to the police and even the judges as to how a case should be handled, without waiting to see the outcome of those cases. Asking the YouTuber's counsel to advise his client, the judge said, journalists could not misuse the fundamental right to speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution and begin throwing mud on each and every institution in the country right at the preliminary stage of inquiry/investigation. 'We have to take the weapon (of Article 19) for a good cause, not for blackmailing. It is a stark reality that some of the journalists are blackmailing people... You cannot expect police and courts to act as per your dictum.... This is not the way... You are misguiding the people by doing all this,' the judge said. In his affidavit, Mr. Shankar had accused the Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police A. Arun of subjecting him and his employees to various 'unlawful actions' since February this year just because he had been exposing police atrocities, misconduct and inaction through his YouTube channel. The petitioner said that he had gone to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh by road in February this year, along with his crew members, to cover the Kumbh Mela. Then, a team of 20 personnel from the Telangana police intercepted their car and took them to the Ramayampet police station for inquiry. The entire crew comprising the driver and cameraman was detained for about two hours on February 8 and was allowed to go only on payment of ₹1,000 for not being in possession of Pollution Under Check (PUC) certificate. He alleged that the harassment was meted out to them at the behest of Greater Chennai police. The petitioner said that he had immediately sent an e-mail to the Home Secretary complaining about the Chennai police tracking his movements and subjecting him to harassment. He also stated that in May, the motorcycles belonging to his cameraman and visual editor were seized by the police on petty charges. Hence, he made a second complaint to the Home Secretary on May 23 since the latter was the chairperson of the State Police Complaints Authority constituted under the Tamil Nadu Police (Reforms) Act of 2013 and was the appropriate authority to look into complaints of police highhandedness. Further, stating that he had made a similar complaint to the DGP too on June 21; the petitioner sought a direction to the Home Secretary and DGP to take appropriate action on his complaints and forbear the Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police from interfering with the functioning of Savukku Media. However, Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran, representing the Home Secretary, contended that the complaints lodged by the writ petitioner would not strictly fall under the purview of the 2013 Act. He also stated that he would make all his submissions in writing by way of a counter affidavit within two weeks.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- The Hindu
‘Savukku' Shankar, Felix Gerald appear before court in Coimbatore
YouTubers A. Shankar, alias 'Savukku' Shankar, and Felix Gerald appeared before the Fourth Judicial Magistrate Court in Coimbatore in connection with a case registered by the city cybercrime police in May 2024. The police said that the case related to alleged derogatory remarks made by Mr. Shankar against police personnel in Tamil Nadu, including women officers, in an interview with Mr. Gerald on a YouTube channel. The police completed the investigation and submitted the charge-sheet before the court. The duo appeared for a hearing in the case on Tuesday. They submitted before the court that they have moved the Madras High Court with a prayer to club 15 other cases, which had been registered in different districts and later transferred to Coimbatore city cybercrime station based on a direction from the Supreme Court of India in April this year, with the first case. According to the police, the court granted them time till July 19, when the case will be heard next.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘Savukku' Shankar moves Madras HC seeking CBI probe into alleged scam in manual scavenging eradication schemes
YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar, alias A. Shankar, has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition before the Madras High Court, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged illegalities in the implementation of entrepreneurship schemes for manual scavengers. The PIL plea is expected to be listed before the summer vacation Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and M. Nirmal Kumar on Wednesday (May 14, 2025). The petitioner had sought a direction to the CBI to register a First Information Report (FIR) based on his March 27, 2025, complaint. In his affidavit, the petitioner said, the Centre had introduced the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) and the Tamil Nadu government had come up with the Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme (AABCS) in 2023 to eradicate manual scavenging. The idea behind these schemes was to introduce mechanised solutions, such as automated jetting and suction machines, by offering bank loans with capital subsidies and interest subvention to manual scavengers for the purchase of sanitation-related equipment. According to the official guidelines and modalities of AABCS, the scheme should be implemented by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department of the State government through the Industries Commissioner and Director of Industries and Commerce (ICDIC), the petitioner claimed. He further claimed that the implementation responsibilities were, however, illegally and arbitrarily delegated to the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI), a private entity registered with the Registrar of Companies, and it had led to misappropriation of crores of rupees. Accusing Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai of having played a major role in this, the petitioner claimed that a huge amount of public money, meant for empowering sanitation workers, had not reached the real beneficiaries due to the illegalities. The petitioner alleged that most of the beneficiaries recommended by DICCI were members of the Congress party's Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Wing, and they did not belong to Below the Poverty Line (BPL) category to be eligible for the disbursement of loans under the entrepreneurship schemes. Claiming to have made a complaint in this regard with the CBI, the petitioner sought a direction to the central investigation agency to register a FIR and conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the illegalities allegedly committed under NAMASTE as well as AABCS before filing the final report. The petitioner also stated that his residence was vandalised after he exposed the alleged illegalities on his YouTube channel and that some hooligans, wearing the jackets of sanitary workers, dumped sewage mixed with human faeces in his house when his aged mother was alone at home.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
War of words over ‘rising cases' of sexual assault on minor girls in TN assembly
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday witnessed heated debates as the ruling DMK and the principal opposition party, the AIADMK, clashed over the 'rising' cases of sexual assault on minor girls and the handling of YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar case. Participating in the debate on the demands for grants for the home, prohibition, and excise departments, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) accused the DMK government of failing to ensure women's safety. Citing the government's policy note, EPS pointed out that rape cases and cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act have increased. Responding to his charges, Minister for Social Welfare P Geetha Jeevan said that due to increasing awareness among the girl children, they come forward to register complaints and most of the minor marriages (under 18 years) have also been registered under the Pocso Act. However, EPS was unconvinced, asserting that compared to the present administration, the previous AIADMK regime was a 'heaven for women'. EPS also raised the issue of the alleged attack on YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar. Chief Minister M K Stalin intervened, stating that the case had already been transferred to the CB-CID for investigation. Countering this, EPS pointed out that the transfer occurred without the filing of an FIR or issuance of a Community Service Register (CSR) receipt. 'This may be the only case in which an investigation was transferred to the CB-CID without an FIR,' he alleged. Subsequently, the CM requested Speaker M Appavu to expunge the remarks related to the Savukku Shankar case as it has been under investigation. However, EPS and AIADMK members protested, arguing that as the matter was only under investigation and not in trial, discussing it in the Assembly did not violate any norms. Eventually, after heated exchanges, the Speaker allowed the discussion on the 'Savukku' Shankar issue to remain on record. CB-CID took over 'Savukku' probe sans FIR: EPS EPS also raised the issue of the alleged attack on YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar. CM M K Stalin intervened, saying the case had already been transferred to CB-CID for investigation. Countering this, EPS said the transfer occurred without the filing of an FIR or issuance of a Community Service Register (CSR) receipt. 'This may be the only case in which an investigation was transferred to the CB-CID without an FIR,' he alleged
