Savukku Shankar undergoes medical check up, counsel says ‘fracture’ affirms custodial assault

The treatment given to YouTuber A. Shankar alias ‘Savukku’ Shankar at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Thursday affirms that he was indeed assaulted by the staff at the Coimbatore Central Prison on the night of his remand on May 4, claimed his counsel S. Gopalakrishnan.

YouTuber A. Shankar alias ‘Savukku’ Shankar, arrested in multiple cases, was taken to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for a medical examination on Thursday based on a report from three lawyers and an orthopaedician empanelled by the Coimbatore District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), who visited the prison to check his condition on Tuesday.

Based on the report, the fourth judicial magistrate, Coimbatore, on Wednesday had directed the prison authorities to take him to CMCH on Thursday for a check up.

Meanwhile, his counsel S. Gopalakrishnan claimed that that the “treatment for fracture” affirms that Mr. Shankar was assaulted by the staff at the Coimbatore Central Prison on the night of his remand on May 4.

The counsel claimed that two cracks were shown in the X-ray done on his right forearm, which, according to him, was the result of the custodial assault in the prison on May 4 night, following his arrest by the Coimbatore city cybercrime police for alleged derogatory remarks on police officers, including women personnel.

His right forearm has been bandaged with plaster of Paris, for which a review examination will be done on May 13. The cybercrime police on Thursday submitted before the fourth judicial magistrate seeking adjournment in a petition seeking Mr. Shankar’s custody on May 13. The police seeking adjournment in a custody petition is very rare, said Mr. Gopalakrishnan.

According to the counsel, Mr. Shankar has been served copies of documents with regard to his arrest in five cases so far.

The counsel claimed that Mr. Shankar was apprehended by the Coimbatore police from Theni at 1.30 a.m. on May 4. However, the Theni police booked him and others for the possession of ganja after 8 a.m., which shows that it is a fabricated case.