New Delhi [India], May 8 : Chennai Police has registered two more cases against YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar who has been sent to judicial custody till May 17, following his arrest allegedly for making defamatory remarks against women police officials, police said on Saturday.
Chennai Police have registered two additional cases, one by the founder and leader of Tamilar Munnetra Padai, Veeralakshmi and another pertaining to an old harassment complaint by journalist Sandhya Ravishankar against YouTuber Savukku.
"After 6 years, Chennai Police registered an FIR on the basis of my complaint against 'Savukku' Shankar. CCB/Cyber Crime have regd a case u/s 294(b), 354D, 506(i), 509 IPC and section 4 of TN Prevention of Harassment of Women Act on 07.05.2024. Thanks to CoP, Chennai & team," Journalist Sandhya Ravishankar wrote in a post on X.
Chennai Police announced that a case had been registered against Shankar, also known as Savukku Shankar, following a complaint by a female editor of a private media outlet.
"Based on the complaint filed by a woman editor of a private media against Shankar @ Savukku Shankar a case was registered at Greater Chennai Police, CCB, Cyber Crime Police Station, under the sections of 294(b), 354D, 506 (i), 509 IPC and Sec.4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act (TNPHW Act)," the Chennai Police wrote in a post on X.
Journalist Sandhya Ravishankar wrote in a post on social media platform X, "After 6 years, Chennai Police registered an FIR on the basis of my complaint against 'Savukku' Shankar. CCB/Cyber Crime have regd a case u/s 294(b), 354D, 506(i), 509 IPC and section 4 of TN Prevention of Harassment of Women Act on 07.05.2024. Thanks to CoP, Chennai & team."
"Further, another case has been registered on the complaint lodged by Veeralakshmi, founder and leader of Tamilar Munnetra Padai, against Shankar @ Savukku Shankar and Felix, at GCP, Central Crime Branch, Cyber Crime Police Station u/s 294(b), 506 (i) IPC: Greater Chennai Police," Chennai Police wrote on X.
Savukku was arrested on Sunday, based on a complaint by a Sub-Inspector of Police of Coimbatore City for allegedly making objectionable comments against women cops in a recent interview on a YouTube channel.
A team from the Coimbatore City Cybercrime wing arrested Shankar from Theni on Sunday morning and brought him to the city, police said.
However, while en route, the police vehicle carrying Shankar met with an accident near Dharapuram in Tiruppur district when a car collided head-on with the police van.
"Savukku Shankar has been arrested for offences committed under sections 294 (b), 509 and 353 IPC read with section 4 of Tamil Nadu prohibition of harassment of Women Act and section 67 of Information Technology Act, 2000," Coimbatore City Police said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Savukku Shankar's mother has filed a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court seeking a judicial inquiry into alleged custodial violence. His employee Vignesh has also filed a case alleging police interference in the functioning of Savukku Media.
Earlier Shankar's counsel had alleged that he was being kept in a separate room and denied medical help for a hand fracture that he had suffered. The counsel alleged that this was a violation of human rights.