Savukku Shankar Interview: Madras High Court grants bail to YouTuber but asks him to shut down his channel

The Madras High Court has granted bail to YouTuber G Felix Jerald who was arrested in May this year after he interviewed Savukku Shankar on his YouTube channel, where the latter made derogatory remarks against women police personnel..However as condition for bail, Justice TV Thamilselvi directed Jerald to shut down his YouTube channel ‘RED PIX 24x7’ and give an undertaking to the trial court stating that he will not “indulge in similar activities” in future.The judge also directed Jerald to execute a bond of ₹10,000.“The petitioner shall report before the respondent police on every Tuesday at 10.30 a.m., until further order. Further, the petitioner is directed to close his YouYube channel ''RED PIX 24 X 7'' and shall file an affidavit of undertaking before the Trial court that he would not indulge in similar type of activities in future. Further, the petitioner shall not give any interview about this case till the completion of Trial,” the order passed on July 31 said while allowing Jerald’s plea..Jerald was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police on May 11 from Noida in Uttar Pradesh following an interview where Shankar allegedly made derogatory comments against women and women police personnel.Several complaints were made against Shankar as well as Gerald across the State following the interview.Shankar was arrested by the Coimbatore Police on May 4 and remanded to judicial custody subsequently..On June 24 this year, Justice Thamilsevi had dismissed a previous bail application filed by Jerald after agreeing with the prosecution that by interviewing Shankar and broadcasting such interview, Jerald had provided Shankar a platform to make the derogatory comments..In the present petition, Senior Advocate John Sathyan, appearing for Jerald. submitted that the interview had been conducted to expose the shortcomings of the State administration. Sathyan also said that Jerald had been in custody for more than 80 days and that he was willing to file an affidavit stating that he will not indulge in such acts again..The Court also noted that one of Jerald’s co-accused in the case had also been granted bail.Hence, it proceeded to allow the bail plea subject to stringent conditions including closure of the YouTube channel..Senior Advocate John Sathyan and advocates D Revathi Karthick and Yogaraja Sekar appeared for Jerald.Government Advocate V Meganathan appeared for the State government.