Madras High Court Denies CBI Investigation into YouTuber Savakku Shankar's Home Attack
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Synopsis
The Madras High Court has denied a request to move the investigation of YouTuber Savakku Shankar's home attack to the CBI, directing the State CB-CID to complete its investigation instead within 12 weeks.
Key Takeaways
- The Madras High Court dismissed the plea for a CBI probe.
- The CB-CID is ordered to complete the investigation in 12 weeks.
- 21 individuals have been identified in the case.
- Five suspects have already been arrested.
- Shankar's mother expressed concerns over the investigation's effectiveness.
Chennai, April 16 (NationPress) The Madras High Court on Wednesday rejected a request to hand over the investigation regarding the attack on YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar's home to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Instead, the court instructed the State CB-CID police to conclude the investigation and present a final report within 12 weeks.
A bench presided over by Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, in addressing a petition filed by A. Kamala, Shankar's mother, noted that there were insufficient grounds at this moment to justify transferring the investigation from the CB-CID to the CBI.
The judge highlighted the urgency of the investigation and mandated the CB-CID to submit its final report within the designated timeframe.
Kamala's petition claimed that the CB-CID was not effectively carrying out the investigation and had neglected to take vital measures, such as recording witness statements under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code. She requested that the case be moved to the CBI, stressing the need for an independent investigation due to the nature of the attack and threats made against her, a senior citizen.
Representing the state, Additional Public Prosecutor A. Gopinath informed the court that the CB-CID had identified 21 individuals connected to the incident.
Of those, five suspects had already been detained, and efforts were still underway to apprehend the others. He contended that shifting the case to another agency now would hinder the ongoing investigation.
The judge accepted the state's argument that the incident occurred merely 20 days prior and ruled that the CB-CID should persist with the investigation. However, he reiterated the necessity for prompt action and instructed the agency to present a final report within 12 weeks.
The incident occurred on March 24, when a group of individuals, masquerading as sanitation workers, invaded Shankar's rented residence in Kilpauk, Chennai. The complaint stated that the group littered the house with garbage, including human waste, and vandalized the property. They were reportedly infuriated by remarks made by Shankar in a YouTube interview, which they perceived as derogatory towards cleaning personnel.
Shankar subsequently shared a video on social media, displaying a video call made to him amid the incident.
In the video, the group was seen threatening him with offensive language while ransacking his home.
After the attack, Kamala filed a complaint at the Kilpauk police station. The case was later transferred to the CB-CID for further investigation.
The Supreme Court recently ordered the consolidation of 15 FIRs lodged against Shankar for allegedly making derogatory comments about police personnel, including female officers, during a YouTube interview. These cases were registered across numerous police stations in Tamil Nadu. Following the apex court's directive, the Coimbatore City Cyber Crime Police, which initially arrested Shankar in Theni on May 4, 2024, officially took over all related cases by filing new FIRs on April 9.
