Supreme Court Grants Bail To TN Godman Siva Sankar Baba In POCSO Case, Asks Him Not To Use Social Media To Dissaude People From Filing Complaints

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Tamil Nadu godman Siva Sankar Baba in a case related to alleged child sex abuse of students in a school run by him. As one of the bail conditions,  s bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai directed that he should not use YouTube or any other social media for dissuading persons to approach the authorities to file complaints.

Further, the Court directed that he should not entere the premises of "Sushil Hari International Residential School" at Kelambakkam - the school run by him where the victims are students.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, ppearing for the petitioner, submitted that hehas been in custody for more than 250 days. The petitioner is 74 years old and is suffering from serious heart ailments and has also suffered paralytic stroke, the bench was told.

V. Krishnamurthy,  Additional Advocate General appearing for the State,  opposed the bail application by submitting that the petitioner is involved in similar offences. He has been granted default bail in two cases. He further submitted that the petitioner is an influential person and there is a likelihood that he might tamper with evidence and influence the witnesses, if he is granted bail. Taking note of the concerns of the State, the bench said that in the event of the prosecution being aware of any attempt made by the petitioner to tamper with the evidence or influencing the witnesses, an application may be filed before the Supreme Court for modification of this order.

Petitioner is accused of committing offences under Sections 354, 363, 365 and 366 read with 109 IPC and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and under Section 8, 10, 12 read with 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The 1st bail application was rejected on 17.08.2021, chargesheet was filed thereafter.

Case Title : C N Siva Shankaran versus the State represented by DSP CB-CID, Chennai

Click here to read/download the order