The Supreme Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to respond to a plea challenging the recent detention order against YouTuber Savukku Shankar. This development comes as Shankar, who has been embroiled in legal troubles in the southern state, received protection in 16 pending criminal cases.
Shankar’s mother, A Kamala, filed the petition seeking the quashing of the detention order and the release of her son. Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, representing Kamala, argued before the court for the production of the records that were cited as the basis for Shankar’s detention.
On Thursday, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government, scheduling the matter for a hearing on August 27.
Shankar was detained under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Slum Grabbers, and Video Pirates Act. The plea contended that the detention order was a strategic move to keep Shankar in custody, especially after he had secured bail in all 16 cases against him.
Earlier, on August 14, the Supreme Court had directed that no coercive action be taken against Shankar in the ongoing cases, offering him some respite. However, Kamala’s petition argues that the latest detention order, issued on May 12, was merely an attempt to harass her son. The Madras High Court had quashed the case on August 9, just days before the Supreme Court’s directive.
The plea highlights Shankar’s role in exposing corruption among bureaucrats and politicians since 2021. One of his notable investigations was the “cash for jobs” scam, which led to the arrest and resignation of V Senthil Balaji, a powerful minister of the ruling party, who is currently in jail on bribery charges.
As the case unfolds, all eyes are on the Supreme Court’s next move, which will determine whether Shankar’s detention will be upheld or overturned.
