'Why Host Scurillous Interview Against Judiciary, Women IPS Officers?' : Supreme Court Asks Felix Jerald, Stays Bail Condition To Close YouTube Channel

The Supreme Court on Friday (September 6) stayed the condition imposed by the Madras High Court that YouTuber Felix Jerald should shut down his YouTube channel “RedPix 24x7” for getting bail in the criminal case over alleged scandalous remarks in the interview of 'Savukku' Shankar uploaded on the channel.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra passed the interim order while issuing notice to the State of Tamil Nadu on a petition filed by Jerald against the High Court's condition.

Although the bench granted interim relief, it questioned the petitioner for allowing the publication of scandalous remarks against the judiciary and women police officers.

"You are making scurrilous allegations against the judiciary and all women IPS officers...why do you host such interviews," CJI Chandrachud asked.

Senior Advocate Gopal Shankaranarayanan, for the petitioner, agreed that the petitioner should not have hosted the interview. However, he submitted that the direction to close the YouTube channel was harsh. He highlighted that the petitioner's channel has been in operation since 2004 and has over 2 million subscribers. He referred to the Supreme Court's order in the Mohammed Zubair case, which refused to impose a bail condition that the petitioner should not tweet.

Jerald is facing cases registered under Sections 294 (b) and 506 (1) of the IPC read with Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. along with Savukku Shankar.

Case : Felix Jerald v. State | SLP(Crl) No. 11762/2024