By Express News Service
MADURAI: Stating that the entire higher judiciary is riddled with corruption, YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar said he stands by his statement.
Appearing before the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against him for his controversial remarks against the judiciary, ‘Savukku’ Shankar said he stands by his statement and sought time to file a reply.
The YouTuber, in an interview for a YouTube channel on July 2022 had reportedly stated that the entire higher judiciary is riddled with corruption referring to a judgment passed by Justice Swaminathan, in quashing an FIR registered against YouTuber Maridhas in February 2022.
Following this, a special bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi issued a show cause notice to him last month as to why criminal contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him.
“He asks me ‘who I met at 6 am at Azhagar Koil when I was hearing the case pertaining to Maridhas?’ By this innuendo, Shankar is suggesting that the outcome of the Maridhas case was influenced by the person I am alleged to have met. This is clearly scandalising the judiciary,” the judge had criticised in a reply to Shankar.
When the special bench heard the matter again on Thursday, the judges asked if he would like to engage a counsel to argue the case, but ‘Savukku’ Shankar replied that he would argue the case himself as no advocate would be willing to take on the court. However, when asked if he wanted the court to appoint a counsel through legal aid authority, he named a senior counsel whom he wished to engage to argue the case on his behalf.
As per request, the judges granted him time to file a counter affidavit and adjourned the case to September 8.
It is to be noted that Shankar is a suspended employee of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and is receiving a subsistence allowance from the government.
MADURAI: Stating that the entire higher judiciary is riddled with corruption, YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar said he stands by his statement.
Appearing before the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against him for his controversial remarks against the judiciary, ‘Savukku’ Shankar said he stands by his statement and sought time to file a reply.
The YouTuber, in an interview for a YouTube channel on July 2022 had reportedly stated that the entire higher judiciary is riddled with corruption referring to a judgment passed by Justice Swaminathan, in quashing an FIR registered against YouTuber Maridhas in February 2022.
Following this, a special bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi issued a show cause notice to him last month as to why criminal contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him.
“He asks me ‘who I met at 6 am at Azhagar Koil when I was hearing the case pertaining to Maridhas?’ By this innuendo, Shankar is suggesting that the outcome of the Maridhas case was influenced by the person I am alleged to have met. This is clearly scandalising the judiciary,” the judge had criticised in a reply to Shankar.
When the special bench heard the matter again on Thursday, the judges asked if he would like to engage a counsel to argue the case, but ‘Savukku’ Shankar replied that he would argue the case himself as no advocate would be willing to take on the court. However, when asked if he wanted the court to appoint a counsel through legal aid authority, he named a senior counsel whom he wished to engage to argue the case on his behalf.
As per request, the judges granted him time to file a counter affidavit and adjourned the case to September 8.
It is to be noted that Shankar is a suspended employee of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and is receiving a subsistence allowance from the government.