New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition challenging the preventive detention of YouTuber and journalist Savukku Shankar under the Tamil Nadu Goondas Act, directing the petitioner to seek relief before the Madras High Court.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma heard the matter and observed that the high court would be the appropriate forum to examine the challenge.
It said if approached, the high court may consider hearing the case expeditiously.
The petition was filed by Shankar’s nephew, D Bharath, seeking a writ of habeas corpus and the quashing of a third detention order issued against Shankar under the Goondas Act.
Shankar was initially arrested on December 13, 2025, in connection with an extortion case registered under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Following his arrest, his mother approached the Madras High Court seeking medical treatment for him.
A separate habeas corpus petition was also filed, alleging that Shankar was being isolated from other prisoners.
The high court later granted Shankar interim bail on medical grounds and, in its order, criticised the Tamil Nadu government for allegedly targeting him for exercising his right to dissent.
An intra-court appeal against the bail order was dismissed, though a division bench imposed additional conditions, including restrictions on Shankar’s public statements, interactions with witnesses and movement outside medical or legal necessities.
Shankar subsequently moved the top court seeking a modification of these bail conditions.
However, in January, the apex court declined to interfere, noting that he had resumed publishing videos and social-media content after securing bail on medical grounds.
Shankar was arrested again on April 8 in two cases registered at the Puzhal police station under various provisions of the BNS.
The following day, authorities passed a preventive-detention order, branding him a “goonda” under section 2(f) of the Goondas Act. Challenging this order, the petitioner had said it had reflected a pattern of misuse of preventive-detention laws.
The plea had highlighted that two earlier detention orders against Shankar were quashed or revoked following judicial scrutiny.
The petition had alleged that Shankar was being harassed by State agencies for exposing illegal and corrupt activities of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu.
It had also raised concerns over the alleged freezing of his mother’s pension account and actions against his associates. PTI SJK RC
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