Supreme Court Seeks TN Govt Response On Plea Challenging Savukku Shankar's Preventive Detention

The Supreme Court today (August 22) issued notice to the State of Tamil Nadu in the plea challenging the recent detention of YouTuber Savukku Shankar under the preventive detention law.  

The bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by his mother.

Advocate Balaji Srinivasan appearing for the petitioner stressed that Shankar had been subjected to physical torture and solitary confinement. 

"Iam roughed up in custody, my hands are broken, no action is taken.... now they have kept me in Madurai where I am kept in solitary confinement"

In July, the Supreme Court had ordered the interim release of Savukku Shankar from his previous preventive detention which was subsequently quashed by the High Court on August 9 .

The Counsel explained that on August 12, Shankar was granted bail, was scheduled to be released from jail at 5PM. On the same day at 5:45 PM, he was again detained indefinitely in connection with an NDPS case in which he was granted bail 4 months ago. It may be noted that the petitioner was detained under Tamil Nadu 'Goondas' Act 1982 (Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Forest Offenders, Sand Offenders, Slum-Grabbers and Video Pirates Act).

The Counsel requested that the petitioner at least be transferred to Chennai Jail. The CJI reverted saying that the court would await the reply of the State on this. 

Notably, the Court on August 14, while issuing notice on a writ petition filed by Shankar, stayed coercive proceedings against him in 16 FIRs filed against him over an interview given by him on a YouTube Channel.

The matter will now be heard on August 27.  

Case Details : A. KAMALA vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU W.P.(Crl.) No. 000352 / 2024  

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