HC refuses to prevent police from invoking Goondas Act against ‘Savukku’ Shankar

The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed a writ petition filed against invoking the Goondas Act against YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar, alias A. Shankar, who had been arrested in connection with multiple criminal cases and lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison since May 4.

Justice K. Kumaresh Babu refused to entertain the petition filed by Savukku Media employee T. Vignesh after Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) E. Raj Thilak questioned the locus standi of the petitioner and argued that no such preemptive order could be passed on the basis of mere apprehension.

However, while dealing with another writ petition filed by the same petitioner seeking to forbear the Greater Chennai Police from interfering with the functioning of Savukku Media’s office in Chennai, the judge asked the APP to file a report on Thursday.

Earlier, a Division Bench of Justices A.D. Jagadish Chandira and R. Kalaimathi sought a report from the Coimbatore District Legal Services Authority after being informed that the latter had deputed three empanelled lawyers and an orthopaedician to assess the health of the YouTuber on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Principal Special Court for Essential Commodities and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act Cases in Madurai remanded Mr. Shankar in judicial custody till May 22 in connection with a ganja possession case registered by the Theni police.

Mr. Shankar, who was earlier arrested by the Coimbatore police on charges of making derogatory comments against policewomen, had been remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison. He was produced before the Special Court in Madurai on a Prisoner on Transit Warrant.

Mr. Shankar submitted before Special Court Judge M. Chenkamalaselvan that he was assaulted in the Coimbatore prison, and wanted to be shifted to the Madurai Central Prison. He was asked to file a petition in this regard.