Madras High Court Grants Bail To Ex-Judge CS Karnan In Abusive Videos Cases

The Madras High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former HC judge CS Karnan in the criminal cases registered over the abusive videos uploaded by him with threats against judges of higher judiciary and their family members.

A single judge of Justice V Bharathidasan allowed bail to Karnan considering the fact that he has spent more than 110 days in custody, the unconditional apology tendered by him and his undertaking to not repeat the offensive acts. The bench also took note of his medical complications which developed after he was infected with COVID-19.

Karnan has been asked to execute a bond for Rs 50,000 and furnish two sureties each for the like sum. He should not release any such videos, or postings, or statements in any print, electronic and social medias as well as in public platforms in future.

The Court further directed that Karnan should refrain from issuing derogatory or abusive statements against the Judiciary as a whole, and the Judges and their family members, lawyers and the staff members of this Registry in any print,electronic and social medias as well as in public platforms in future.

The Court warned Karnan that his bail will be cancelled if he violates the undertaking.

In the undertaking filed before the Court, Karnan said that the videos happened to be released by him under circumstances beyond his control.

"I tender an unconditional apology to all my brothers and sisters in the higher judiciary as well as to their family members and the members of the Bar and I undertake that I will not release any such videos or posting in any platform in the future", he said in the affidavit filed before the Court.

Ten FIRs were registered against him by the Chennai police over 33 videos posted by Karnan in various social media platforms. The police invoked offences under Section 153, 509 , Section 228, 509,294(b), 506(ii) r/w 120-B of IPC, Section 67-A of Information Technology Act, Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Woman Harassment Act and Section4 of Indecent Representation of Women Act.

In the videos, Karnan was seen uttering abuses and obscenities against judges and their family members and even issued threats of sexual violence against the women relations of judges.

Karnan was arrested by the Chennai police on December 2 last year, following the directions passed by the High Court in a petition filed by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry demanding action against the ex-judge.