Savukku Shankar case: Supreme Court asks Tamil Nadu government if 15 FIRs pertain to one interview

Supreme Court questions Tamil Nadu government's multiple FIRs against YouTuber Savukku Shankar, alleging harassment and free speech violation.

The Supreme Court on Friday (August 30, 2024) directed the Tamil Nadu government to confirm if every one of the 15 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by the State Police across several districts pertain to the same interview given by YouTuber Savukku Shankar.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud also questioned the State government’s move to issue one detention order as soon as Mr. Shankar is out from an earlier detention order.

‘Savukku’ Shankar: Why are you after YouTuber, Supreme Court asks Tamil Nadu

Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the State, agreed to go through the 15 FIRs and respond by September 2.

Mr. Shankar’s counsel, advocate Balaji Srinivasan, said all the FIRs related to the same interview. The State claimed that he had made remarks about women police personnel.

Mr. Srinivasan submitted that his client is being harassed by the State through a string of detention orders. The lawyer said Mr. Shankar had merely exercised his right to free speech, for which the State was “not prosecuting, but persecuting him”. The FIRs are used to “parade” him from one district to another throughout the State, he submitted.

On August 23, Justice IB Pardiwala, on the Bench, had asked whether the State was targetting the YouTuber.