Felix Gerald, editor of the YouTube channel RedPix, was arrested in New Delhi by a special team of police from Tamil Nadu, on the night of Friday, May 10. He has been named as the second accused in at least two cases - the ones registered in Coimbatore and Trichy cyber crime cells– for conducting and streaming an interview in which YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar made derogatory remarks about women police personnel.
His arrest came a day after the Madras High Court made critical oral remarks, while hearing his anticipatory bail petition, that some YouTube channels have become a “menace” and that Felix should have been named as the first accused in the case for prompting Shankar to make such a statement.
Shankar has been booked in seven cases, four of which pertain to this interview. In the interview, he alleged that women police personnel were giving sexual favours to a senior police officer in order to get promotions. Felix was named the second accused in the case at Trichy, which was registered based on a complaint filed by Musiri DSP MA Yasmin.
Though Felix was summoned by the police in the case, he did not appear before the police and had travelled to Delhi to meet the Press Council of India chairman to submit a petition. He had also simultaneously filed a petition at the Madras HC seeking anticipatory bail. On May 9, Justice K Kumaresh Babu, while hearing the case, orally observed that certain YouTube channels have turned to be a “menace to the society by publishing derogatory content” for their profit. “..it is high time the government steps in to control such undesirable activities,” he said.
He also pulled up Felix for the interview. When the petitioner’s counsel argued that Felix is a journalist for the past 25 years, the judge came down upon him and asked, “Is this what you even call an interview?” The judge further said that Felix should have been arrayed as the first accused because he either posed the question knowing the outcome or he would have encouraged the derogatory comments.
Meanwhile, Felix’s wife spoke in a video in RedPix on May 12, where she said that Felix informed her he was picked up by the police. She also said that a police officer named Veeramani spoke to her and informed that they would be taking Felix to Trichy. Stating that there is no information on his whereabouts, she said that she was anxious if Felix would be assaulted by the police “like Savukku Shankar.”